Maintaining the traditional Interdominion Championships format, Gloucester Park Harness Racing Club (Perth) recently held the second of its three years as host club (25 November – 9 December 2016). Home to the inaugural Interdominion Championship in 1936, Gloucester Park (GP) held its fifteenth Interdominion (ID) event, the most of any Australasian venue.
Once again, long term sponsor TABtouch provided the necessary financial support with a traditional ID format of three heats leading into the Grand Final. As we have done for the past fourteen ID’s (2004 – 2016, twice in 2015), my wife and I attended these latest Perth ID’s with Michael Gallenti’s Melbourne based harness racing travel specialists “Harness Racing Travelworld” (HRT). This year two tour durations (4 or 9 days) were offered, each tour given a topical horse name – the quinella from the 2015 Perth ID’s in Lennytheshark (9 days) and Lovers Delight (4 days). New Zealand owned, trained and driven horses were represented at the carnival this year being Smolda and Franco Nelson, in addition, a further 17 Kiwi bred horses were ID contenders, so overall the “NZ” presence again accounted for approximately two thirds of the final entries (in Grand Final 7 of 10 contenders).
The nine qualifying heats run were over three nights (second night at Bunbury) with the Grand Final on Friday evening 9 December 2016. Prize money offered during the ID carnival again exceeding A$2.5m, the ID Grand Final representing A$1.1m alone (9 heats at A$75,000 and consolation at A$35,000). Other major races featured during the carnival were Group 1’s for four year olds in Golden Nugget (A$200,000) and McInerney Ford Classic ($A125,000); Mares Classic (A$120,00); Group 2’s in 4yo Championship (A$50,000), Norms Daughter Classic (A$50,000), San Simeon and Binshaw heats and final (A$15,000/A$50,000), and a Trotters Cup for A$50,000.
Opening night winners of the 2130m heats were Bettors Fire who led all the way from Smolda who sat parked; reigning Interdominion champion Lennytheshark worked three wide to sit parked over final two laps winning well from Beaudiene Boaz who finished attractively; opening Interdominion favourite for 2016 in Hectorjayjay impressed in taking out his heat in the quickest mile rate for 2130m journey of 1:53.6 on opening night, Franco Nelson grabbing third spot.
The second nights heats over 2100m were held at Bunbury again this year with wins to Run Oneover (1:53.8) who was hunted out at the start so as to be able to lead all the way with Smolda again parked before finishing third; Hectorjayjay comfortably all the way winning easily (last 1200m in 1:22.4) and Bling It On who after sitting 1/1 flashed home through the middle of the pack to win nicely with Lennytheshark making a little ground late finishing into fourth.
The 2016 Australasian Young Drivers Championship was held in conjunction with the Interdominions. Featuring ten drivers, four from New Zealand and one from each of the six Australian harness racing states, a series of nine races across six meetings were held in Perth : 2 December GP, Bunbury (2), Pinjarra (2), Northam (2), Narrogin (1) with final heat on ID Grand Final night 9 December at GP.
The series won by Todd McCarthy representing NSW (73 points) shading defending champion Robbie Close and Matt Anderson, both with 71 points however Close the better performed of these two New Zealanders on count back (two heat wins to Andersons one). The other contestants were Kyle Marshall (North Island NZ), Brad Williamson (South Island NZ), Wade Rattray (TAS), Stuart McDonald (WA), Nathan Dawson (QLD), Jason Lee (VIC), Jayson Finnis (SA).
Being part of a tour group means that harness racing is not the only activity engaged in but other events organised to maintain the interest of participants. A brief outline of our 9 day tour having commenced with the third night of ID heats at Gloucester Park on Friday 2 December (Italian night celebration) with Gloucester Park’s usual brilliant fireworks display after conclusion of the evenings racing follows.
Comfortably situated in our reserved seating in the Beau Rivage Restaurant, these heats determined the ID Grand Finalists. Winners over 2536m were Hectorjayjay who completed a clean sweep of all heats with an all the way victory (1:56.0) in his thoird heat; Run Oneover took out his second heat win trailling, then worked out around Lennytheshark to win well and Smolda who fought off all challengers after leading the complete distance. Ideal Alice kept A Piccadilly Princess locked away in taking out the Parliamentarians Cup for mares while Mr Mojito lived up to all the hype with victory in the Garrands Horse and Hound 4yo Championship.
Saturday 3 December was the only free day on the tour with an optional day trip to Rottnest Island offered. Sunday dawned with Father Brian Glasheen (“the Pacing Priest”) conducting the Inter denominational harness racing mass at St Mary’s Cathedral; midday attending the Barrier Draw luncheon in the Golden Nugget Room at Gloucester Park.
At this function, I had the pleasure of presenting to Gloucester Park Harness Racing copies of the September 1935 Peoples Choice magazine (introduced first Interdominions in 1936) and Official Programme for Perth’s second Interdominions in 1940. These will now form part of the planned Hall of Fame at Gloucester Park.
As has been the norm with a number of Perth ID tours, a pleasant Monday afternoon’s country harness racing was enjoyed at Pinjarra. Departing Perth and travelling north towards our overnight stay in Cervantes (WA’s Coral Coast), we visited the Lobster Shack processing factory where naturally, a feast of Western Rock Lobster was on the menu for lunch. Tuesday afternoon we explored the Pinnacles Desert. Entertainment for the evening was supplied by one of Mark Lowe’s trivia quizzes, in the dining room of our accommodation. The following day we travelled south east for New Norcia, home to the Benedictine Community of monks including a guided tour of the township and a look through an amazing Museum and Art Gallery. After lunch, we headed back to Perth via the Swan Valley, stopping at a nougat factory for tasting and additional “refuelling”. The four day tour participants arrived today in Perth.
Morning tea time on Thursday we were cruising down the Swan River to Fremantle with a sightseeing tour of “Freo” by coach. We adjourned to the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club in Peppermint Grove for a gourmet BBQ lunch. An optional inclusion on Thursday evening was the ID Gala Dinner at Perth’s Crown Casino.
Friday 9 December dawned very warm with a full days activities in store beginning with the regular HRT Interdominion Calcutta at lunchtime at the Novotel Langley. With regular MC John Dunne, it featured expert panellists Bill Hutchinson, HRT tour guide Mark Lowe and Father Brian Glasheen. A great afternoon was had by all. Friday evening 9 December and all was in readiness for the 2016 TABtouch Perth Interdominion Grand Final. This evening situated in the Golden Nugget Restaurant with reserved seating in the Sir Frank Ledger grandstand for the concluding stages of yet another successful ID championship.
It would not be an Interdominion without some drama or another, this years was provided by Lennytheshark who pulled up sore and lame after the third round of heats. A foot abscess was the reason and after a couple of days of will he, won’t he start, the reigning ID champion had to be withdrawn on Thursday before the Grand Final.
Plenty has been written about Smolda’s game performance to win the 2016 ID Grand Final, driven by his trainer Mark Purdon. Following Bettors Fire unsuccessful bid to head off Run Oneover for the lead, Smolda together with warm favourite Hectorjayjay settled well back in the field. Smolda commenced a three wide move 1000m from home, in turn taking Hectorjayjay into the race. At the 600m Smolda forged to the lead tracked every step by Hectorjayjay who headed him slightly turning for home. The now 8yo Courage Under Fire warrior never conceded a yard and fought valiantly to nail Hectorjayjay by the narrowest of margins, half a neck with 7.90m back to Beaudiene Boaz in third place. The 2936m journey was covered in a new track record time of 3:31.3, a 1:55.8 mile rate (56.8/28.4).
Smolda owned by Glenys and Philip Kennard, Marcus Kirkwood and Neil Pilcher was purchased in Australia by Mark Purdon at an APG Sale (belongs to the family of Lady Betty (A59). Smolda’s earnings now exceed $2m and his 1:50.6 is the fastest by a pacer on NZ soil.
Other major winners on Grand Final night : Soho Tribeca winning the 4yo Golden Nugget; Cyamach, one of two winners for Gary Hall Jnr (dr) and Gary Hall Snr (tr) on the night took out the Pacers Consolation; The Parade won her first Group 1 in the Mares Classic; Monarchy mare Sunnys Little Whiz (winner of eight of ten starts since arriving in WA) added the Trotters Cup to her resume while Mach Three was the only dual winning stallion on the night with Cyamach and Rub Of the Green.
Overall, the carnival produced competitive racing with many quick times, the quality of Interdominion contenders was higher than in 2015, although still missing some of the Kiwi big guns in Lazarus and Have Faith In Me together with Tasmania’s Beautide as examples.
Gloucester Park can be well pleased with the second of their three year agreement to host the Interdominions. They learned from and enhanced aspects of the initial year’s carnival e.g. Grand Final reverting to Friday evening from Sunday afternoon being a major plus crowd wise.
A short, exhausting but thoroughly enjoyable few days of high class harness racing. A great spectacle and carnival presented by the good people at Gloucester Park, as well as an excellent day out at Pinjarra. It is already countdown time for the third GP edition in 2017, it can’t come quick enough to be involved in the next instalment of the Interdominion Championships.
Peter Craig
12 December 2016
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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