Captains Knock opened at $71 with TAB Fixed Odds and is now $7 with TAB Fixed Odds. Photo by Club Menangle
WITH some of Australasia’s top-performing horses out of the upcoming TAB Inter Dominion Championships the series has become wide-open for both the pacers and trotters.
Defending Inter Dominion Grand Final champions Leap To Fame and Just Believe were both scratched out of the ID24 series.
Unfortunately Leap To Fame has succumbed to a lower respiratory tract infection, trainer Grant Dixon opting to give the stallion time to recover throughout the summer in the hope that he can return to peak fitness for the AG Hunter Cup which is scheduled for late February.
Meanwhile, connections of Just Believe, who produced a sensational performance to win the Group 1 Dominion Trot on New Zealand Cup Day, have decided to stay on in the Shaky Isles to contest some of the bigger races being run during the next few months.
Carnival of Cups champion Swayzee has also been withdrawn from ID24 after winning the NZ Cup and this has seen his stablemate Curley James posted as the $4.60 TAB Fixed Odds favourite for the There have been other noticeable market moves for TAB Eureka winner Don Hugo, million-dollar earner Max Delight and the Goulburn trained Captains Knock who have all firmed up to single-figure odds.
In the Trotting Championships the ever-consistent London To A Brick holds favouritism at $4.40, marginally ahead of Keyang Chucky and The Locomotive.
Brad Hewitt is looking forward to the commencement of the Inter Dominion series which is just a stone’s throw away from his Goulburn base.
The talented trainer-driver has realistic chances in each of the pacers and trotters’ series with Captains Knock and The Locomotive.
Both four-year-olds have been on the fringe of grand circuit racing and are ready to take the next step, especially on their home soil.
“The timing of this year’s Inter Dominion has worked out perfectly for us,” said Hewitt.
“Captains Knock is racing in great form and the concept of running three qualifying heats into the final should suit him while I could not have The Locomotive in any better order.
“It has been our long-term plan to aim him for a tilt at the Trotters Inter Dominion.”
The first round of heats for both the pacers and trotters will be hosted by the Newcastle Harness Racing Club on Friday night, November 29.
For all other ID24 information head to interdominion.com.au
