Penny Veejay, pictured winning his Inter Dominion heat, is Jayne Davies' hope in tomorrow night's Inter Dominion Pacing Grand Final
If Penny Veejay wins tomorrow night’s $750,000 Watpac Inter Dominion Pacing Grand Final at Moonee Valley it won’t be the first time a horse driven by Chris Alford, dressed in the distinctive all green colours, carrying number nine has won Australasian harness racing’s premier event.
That was exactly the scenario when Golden Reign won the 1995 Inter Dominion in Christchurch.
It’s a fact not lost on Penny Veejay’s trainer Jayne Davies, whose partner Noel Alexander was the figurehead of their Clyde stable when Golden Reign provided them with their first, and so far only, Inter Dominion success.
“He was a great horse, Golden Reign,” Davies said. “He was a great horse throughout his career and he was simply outstanding for us.
“He won his Inter Dominion from that barrier – number nine – so let’s hope history repeats itself this weekend with Penny Veejay,” Davies said.
While betting markets suggest Penny Veejay is going to need more than omens in his favour to add his name to the Inter Dominion honour roll from his back-row draw – he is currently a $26 chance with TAB Sportsbet – Davies disagrees.
She said you only have to look back to the seven-year-old’s performance last week, when a two-metre second placegetter to Safari in track record time (1:56.2 mile rate), as an indication of how well the gelding is going.
“I was absolutely stoked with his run last week,” Davies said. “I thought he went sensationally.
“Not many rate him, but his times were good and he was still coming at that horse (Safari) on the line. I asked Chris (Alford) after the race if his run had finished and he said he thought he was still slowly getting there.”
Similarities with Penny Veejay’s Inter Dominion situation isn’t the only reason Golden Reign memories would have come flooding back at Davies’ stable during the week.
Golden Reign is the last Victoria Derby winner to win an Inter Dominion and the Davies-trained Crusaders Castle is one of the leading contenders for this year’s $150,000 Alabar Victoria Derby, which will also be run tomorrow night.
Davies wouldn’t dream of comparing Crusaders Castle with Golden Reign at this early stage of his career – he has had six starts for five wins – but she at least considers him a chance of landing the first leg of the double tomorrow night after drawing ideally in barrier two.
“It’s a very, very hard race and this horse is only lightly-raced, but he’s very relaxed and he definitely has got the ability,” Davies said of the colt, who led all of the way to win his heat last week.
“He’s got the best draw and we just have to hope that he can make the best of it.”
Crusaders Castle and boom New South Wales colt Flite Dynasty are the $3.60 joint favourites for this year’s Derby, which is race five on tomorrow night’s card and will be run at 8pm.