Tasmanian owner Mick Maxfield will be trackside at Menangle in Sydney’s south-west on Saturday night to cheer on Max Delight in the $500,000 Tab Inter Dominion Pacing Championship Grand Final (2300m).
Maxfield brought the son of Bettors Delight as a yearling, and he enjoyed a magnificent ride with the pacer, who has won 31 races and over $1.1m in stake earnings.
During the three rounds of heats held from 29 November through 7 December, Max Delight finished third, fourth, and fifth, which saw him among the top twelve-point scorers. He has made it through to his second Grand Final appearance after finishing fourth in 2021 behind Boncel Benjamin.
“We are just happy to be in the final,” said Mick’s son Dean, who was making the trip to Sydney with his father on Friday.
“He is rising nine and has given us a lot of enjoyment, not only for Dad but for David Aiken for what he has been going through with his health battles.
Some of the enjoyment has come in many groups and listed wins, headlined by the 2021 Victoria Cup.
“He is a good old trier. I just hope the series hasn’t been too taxing on him, but he is in the hands of one of the best trainers around, and I’m sure Aik will have him cherry ripe.
“When you talk to David, he says the horse is going as well as he has ever gone, and his times prove that, he ran sub 1:50 a few weeks ago at Menangle, and he certainly loves his racing at the moment.
“He had a tendon tear early in his career, and we lost him for most of his four-year-old season, but it has been a blessing in the end after 12 months off, and he hasn’t had an issue since.
Max Delight has drawn barrier 10 in Saturday night’s final where he is a $19 chance.
The series has seen heats held at Newcastle and Bathurst, and as a result the starting configuration for the entire series will have eight runners on the front row and four on the second line as opposed to the regular ten at Menangle.
“The draw is not the best, but not the worst, and I’m sure Nathan (Jack, driver) will put him into the race at the right time.
“Dad’s health has not been the best, so we made sure we made an effort to go up and watch it,” Dean said.
The Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, scheduled for 21:45 , will be telecast on Sky Racing 1, with showcase coverage on Sky Thoroughbred Central.
Harness racing fans won’t have to wait too long for the next Inter Dominion, with Brisbane’s Albion Park set to host the series from 2025 till 2027. The pacing grand final will be worth $1,000,000, with two changes to the series.
Only two rounds of heats will be held instead of three, and there will also be a much-needed and well-received change of time slot, with the series to be held during July.
