Since the turn of the millennium, only the very best have achieved the big double.
No question, the Dominion and the Rowe Cup are the biggest events on the New Zealand trotting calendar.
As it stands, the Dominion starts the Australian Pacing Gold Trotting Masters while the Rowe Cup ends the season.
The Dominion is the South Island feature and richest trotting event staged throughout Australasia while the Rowe Cup is the pride of the north.
Both are stand start 3200m features.
To win both is an enormous challenge but to win both in the same year is nothing short of miraculous.
History proves that.
Names like Lyell Creek (56 wins from 113 starts, $2.9 million), Take A Moment (39 from 67, $1.1 million), I Can Doosit (36 from 55, $1.4 million) and Monbet (23 from 34, $770k) have completed the feature double.
But let’s be serious because this is the silk shirt department, the best of the best over the past two decades.
Now another great trotter can join that elusive group when Auckland star Speeding Spur shoots to complete the double when he tackles the Gr.1 $300,000 Used To Me @ Haras de Trotteurs Dominion at Addington tomorrow (Friday).
Fresh from his outstanding victory in the Gr.1 $100,000 New Zealand FFA on Tuesday, the Pegasus Spur entire looms as the horse to beat in the stand start staying feature.
Boasting 24 wins from 45 starts and earnings just shy of $1 million, the father/son combination of John and Josh Dickie have their ‘stable star’ primed for another bold showing.
A total of 17 trotters have achieved the Cup week double - names include Durban Chief, Tutira, Easton Light, Scotch Tar, Admiral Soanai, Simon Katz, Tobago, William Dee, Call Me Now, Chiola Cola, Take A Moment x 2, Lyell Creek, Stig, Vulcan and I Can Doosit.
Defending champion Amaretto Sun takes his place in the field again, the last trotter to claim back to back victories was Take A Moment back in 2001/02.
Last year, Amaretto Sun stunned at massive odds while young Sheree Tomlinson became the first female driver to taste victory in the great race.
Trainer Ken Ford is also represented by the richly talented Marcoola, a last start feature race winner at Ashburton.
Trainer Phil Williamson is chasing another victory in the Dominion following the success of Springbank Richard back in 2009, this year he has Monty Python and Alderbeck representing his stable.
Greg and Nina Hope are pinning their faith in Everybody Knows, the Hope’s prepared Monbet who scored two years ago.
Leading reinsman Ricky May takes the drive on Everybody Knows and he’s chasing his 4th victory following previous victories with Monbet, Stylish Monarch and Cedar Fella.
Star driver Maurice McKendry is chasing another victory in the Dominion and will partner with Lemond for trainer Ross Paynter.
McKendry scored with David Moss back in 1994.
Champion horseman Tony Herlihy is also chasing another victory after scoring with Directorship back in 1992, he will partner high quality performer Temporale.
Master trot trainer Paul Nairn is no stranger to success in the Dominion; the unorthodox conditioner is a dual winner after scoring with Call Me Now (1995) and Stig (2008).
He will be represented by Ronald J while he also has Wilmas Mate (3rd emergency).
The sole Australian trained runner is Kyvalley Blur for trainer Brent Lilley, the veteran gelding backs up following his tidy effort on Tuesday behind Speeding Spur.
Female representation of the four legged variety includes Harriet Of Mot, Alderbeck, Wilmas Mate (3rd emergency), Destiny Jones, Sunny Ruby (2nd emergency), Hey Yo (1st emergency) and Le Lievre’s Gift.
The last mare to win the Dominion was Martina H who deadheated with Take A Moment back in 2002.
Connections of Great Things Happen and Woodstone are also chasing their own slice of Dominion history when they line up in the south island feature.
The Used To Me @ Haras des Trotteurs Dominion is scheduled to start at 4.55pm local time.
The 2018/19 Australian Pacing Gold Trotting Masters covers six elite events staged throughout Australasia.
