Trans-Tasman rivalry will explode this Sunday afternoon at Moonee Valley when seven Aussies and seven Kiwis square off in the $200,000 Sky Channel Inter Dominion Trotting Grand Final.
Local trainers will be hoping to break New Zealand’s stranglehold on trotting’s Holy Grail with 2004 champion Sumthingaboutmaori the only Australian-trained winner in the past 16 years.
Moonee Valley track record holder A Touch Of Flair (10-metres) and reigning Australian Trotter of the Year Sammy Do Good (10-metres) headline the local charge, whilst giant visitor Delft (10-metres, pictured) will spearhead the New Zealand assault after his clean sweep of the heats.
TAB Sportsbet have installed Delft the $3.40 favourite, with A Touch Flair the firm second elect at $3.50 despite his below par performance when a beaten favourite in last weekend’s heats. Sammy Do Good is the only other runner under double figure odds at $4.50.
On what is the sport’s biggest stage, New Zealand trainer Kevin Fairbairn will achieve a rare feat when he lines up half-brothers Glenbogle and Whatsundermykilt in the Group 1 feature.
The field for the $200,000 Sky Channel Inter Dominion Trotting Grand Final (3050m), to be run at 4.30pm (AEST) this Sunday at Moonee Valley under standing start conditions, is;
1 |
| WHATSUNDERMYKILT (NZ) | K. FAIRBAIRN | CHRIS LANG | $21 |
2 |
| GLENBOGLE (NZ) | K. FAIRBAIRN | DARYL DOUGLAS | $17 |
3 |
| ALL ACTION SON (VIC) | J. DAVIES | CHRIS ALFORD | $35 |
4 |
| ILLAWONG IAN (VIC) | R. KUCHENMEISTER | BRIAN GATH | $41 |
5 |
| ACTION AFTER DARK (VIC) | S. SCIBERRAS | GREG SUGARS (C) | $71 |
6 |
| ROMPER STOMPER (NZ) | J. DICKIE | PETER FERGUSON | $17 |
7 |
| CALDER SENSATION (VIC) | M. CALDOW | JOHN CALDOW | $17 |
----------Second Row----------- | |
8 |
| KIWI DEMAND (VIC) | A. GATH | KATE THOMPSON (C) | $31 |
9 |
| PRINCE SUNDON (NZ) [ods] | J. HAY | JOHN HAY | $13 |
10 |
| GENIUS (NZ) [ods] | T. BUTT | ANTHONY BUTT | $13 |
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| ----------- 10 Metres------------ |
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11 |
| PLAY ON (NZ) | P. LAMB | CRAIG THORNLEY | (Emerg) |
12 |
| DELFT (NZ) | M. WALLIS | TONY HERLIHY | $3.40 |
13 |
| POMPALLIER (NZ) | R. BROSNAN | RICHARD BROSNAN | $26 |
14 |
| SAMMY DO GOOD (VIC) | P. MANNING | KERRYN MANNING | $4.50 |
15 |
| A TOUCH OF FLAIR (VIC) | R. THOMSON | RUSSELL THOMSON | $3.50 |
The Sky Channel Inter Dominion Trotting Grand Final features alongside the world’s richest handicap, the $500,000 Hankook Tyres Hunter Cup, on a huge 10 race card at Moonee Valley.