It’s certainly going to be a race to watch as the draw has seen race favourite Rostevarren going up against New Zealand’s Miami Hi after the surprise scratching of Kahdon. Rostevarren is sitting in a fine position in barrier two. The Ross Graham-driven gelding has had eight starts this season, six of which resulted in first place finishes. This includes Heat 1 of the Victoria Trotters Derby.

It seems his toughest competition lies immediately to the right as New Zealand’s Miami Hi drew barrier four, but due to Kahdon’s absence, will be racing from barrier three. The Kiwi colt is new to the Australian trotting circuit, but took an impressive first place finish in his debut in Heat 1 of the Derby.

Thanks to the last chance Heat 3, Ninegrandsons, Tuhimata Glass, and Bakas Cobber all earned their position in the Final. The former beat the two latter in the final heat to earn his position, but sits in the second row thanks to a very unlucky draw. Bakas Cobber and Tuhimata Glass took barriers five and six respectively, giving them a decent shot at the win, but expect this one to be a showdown between Rostevarren and Miami Hi for the top share of the $75,000 purse.

It will be race nine on Sunday’s racing card, getting underway at 4:10pm. Place your bets at SportsBet as they are offering the best possible odds for all the races to be held this weekend at Maryborough’s two-day carnival.

2010 Victoria Trotters Derby Final Field & Barrier Draw

The first Group 1 feature took place on Friday June 11, when Tabcorp Park in Victoria hosted the $50,000 Group 1 Victoria Trotters Oaks. A stunning field of three-year-old fillies took to the track, but it was the pronounced $1.60 favourite Kahdon who took out the first prize with an emphatic 7.4m win ahead of Jingling Silver ($24) and Shes Commando ($18.50; the placegetters proving there is great money to be made on backing the consistent performing roughies with Place bets through SportsBet.

The next Group 1 race to take place in June was the $10,000 SA Trotting Oaks, another three-year-olds feature, at Globe Derby on Saturday June 19. Improving filly Amelia Darling was the winner, defeating a classy field of rivals including runner-up Landoras Pearl and Shes Commando. The winner had drawn ideally with the front row barrier one, showing that with the smaller fields barrier position is important when selecting which trotter to back at SportsBet.

One final Group 1 trotting event then finished off the month, the $15,000 SA Trotters Derby on Saturday June 26. Premier trainer-driver Lance Justice took out the Derby with the $1.80 favourite Tuhimata Glass, the gelding securing a narrow half-neck victory ahead of Backas Cobber ($4.40). The top two finishers headed the betting markets at SportsBet prior to the race, so sometimes it is worth sticking with the favourite based on their great form.

This month plenty more group trotting action is set to take place, with the first Group 1 July race already decided. On Friday July 2, Tabcorp Park held the $50,000 Group 1 Vicbred Super Series Final for two-year-olds, won by consistent Conch Deville gelding Chateau De Ville. The winner was driven by one of the country’s leading reinsman Gavin Lang, proving that with the juvenile features the experience of a champion driver goes a long way and this should be considered when putting your money on a horse at SportsBet.

Two more Group 1 trot races are still set to play out this month, with the harness track at Maryborough in Victoria hosting the $50,000 Group 1 The Redwood Classic for two-year-olds and the $75,000 Group 1 Victoria Trotters Derby Final for three-year-olds on a bumper night of racing on the 18^th.

The 2010 Australian Harness Racing Calendar has all the details of the trot and pacing features scheduled for the remainder of the season, so check it out to start making your selections.

If you want to bet on these great trot races, don’t! Not until you take five minutes to sign up at SportsBet. They have far better odds than the TAB and if you bet anywhere else you will be throwing your profit away!

Group trotting got under way last Friday night at Kilmore Tabcorp Park with the $25,000 Group 3 The Holmfield. The sprint feature was taken out by the $2.80 favourite Rostevarren who claimed an emphatic 5.1m victory ahead of Lance Justice’s Tuhimata Glass.

The $50,000 Group 1 Victoria Trotters Oaks this Friday night is the first Group 1 trot race of the month

This Friday night, June 11, the great trotting action continues as the first Group 1 event of the month takes place at Tabcorp Park Victoria. The $50,000 Group 1 Victoria Trotters Oaks for three-year-old fillies is the highlight event on a bumper night of racing that also includes the $30,000 Group 2 Tatlow Stakes Final for two-year-olds and the $20,000 Group 3 Sundons Gift Trotters Free-For-All.

The following week the headline event around the country will be the $10,000 Group 1 SA Trotting Oaks for three-year-olds on Saturday June 19 at Globe Derby, and other trotting features that weekend include the $15,000 Emerging Stars Trotters Handicap Heats at Tabcorp Park.

The $20,000 Group 3 final of the Emerging Stars Series will then take place the next Friday night June 25, before trotting moves to Globe Derby the next night on Saturday June 26, for the $15,000 Group 1 SA Trotters Derby for three-year-olds.

Visit the 2010 Australian Harness Racing Calendar for an easy-to-view schedule of all the pacing and trotting features happening around the country for June and beyond.

And, if you want to get in on the excellent harness racing betting action then head to IASbet who have the most lucrative odds, bonuses and payouts for every trot race in Australia.

The first major event was the $50,000 Group 1 Vicbred Super Series 3YO Trotters Final on Friday May 7 at Victoria’s Tabcorp Park. Earl gelding Mister Castleton took out the race after starting at $10.40 odds, holding off Backas Cobber by 1.3m with roughie Jingling Silver in third. The hot favourite, the Ross Graham-trained Rostevarren ran a well beaten sixth.

The next group trotting races were held at Ballarat Tabcorp Park the following weekend on Friday May 14. The first was the $50,000 Group 1 Vicbred Super Series 4YO Trotters Final where premier trainer-driver Chris Lang took out the quinella. Lang drove the hot favourite Let Me Thru ($1.60) to a classy 5.4m win ahead of stablemate, $29.80 outisder Happy Maori, with Zanzi Bromac a distant third.

Also held on the night was the $20,000 Group 3 Knight Pistol Trotters Cup where Muscles Yankee gelding Lord Of The Gym, a half brother to earlier winner Le Me Thru, claimed victory over Lance Justice’s Earl Of Mot with Viva La Fever finishing off the trifecta. Odds-on favourite Ronerail gave up his early lead and faded to finish nearly 19m from the winner in eighth place.

The third Group 1 trotting event for the month took place at Harold Park on Friday the 21^st, when three-year-old filly Good Thanks gave reinsman Chris Lang another elite level win taking out the $20,000 Group 1 NSW Trotters Oaks.

The great trotting action continued right up to the final Friday night of the month when the $20,000 Group 1 NSW Trotters Derby at Harold Park was taken out by three-year-old gelding Backas Cobber, who had run second to Mister Castleton in the Vicbred Super Series 3YO Trotters Final at the start of the month, ahead of Bellingham with $1.80 favourite My High Expectations finishing third in the small seven-horse field.

Bookmark this site and return to see a detailed preview of the feature trots races in June.

The best place for all your trots betting is at online bookmaker IASbet who have generous odds open on all of Australia’s harness races.

The $50,000 Group 1 Vicbred Super Series Final for three-year-olds is the scheduled highlight of the May 7 Tabcorp Park meeting and features a field full of country champions including the Ross Graham-trained and driven Rostevarren and Chris Lang’s consistent Good Thanks.

Also taking place on Friday night are the Trotters Champion Heats at Harold Park, worth $8,000.

The following weekend on Friday May 14, two group trot features are scheduled for Ballarat @ Tabcorp Park, the $20,000 Group 3 Knight Pistol Trotters Cup and the $50,000 Group 1 VicBred Super Series 4YO Trotters Final.

The third Group 1 trot feature to light up the tracks in May is the $20,000 NSW Trotters Derby at Harold Park on Friday 21^st.

Finally the big month of trotting enjoys one final weekend when on Friday the 28^th May Harold Park hosts the three-year-old fillies feature, the $20,000 Group 1 NSW Trotters Oaks, and the $20,000 Group 3 Trotters Championship Final.

Check out our Australian Trots Calendar to see when and where the next harness racing feature events are scheduled to take place so you don’t miss any of the great trotting action Australia has on offer over the next few weeks!

And don’t forget to visit IASbet who have the best range of harness and thoroughbred betting markets open.

Red Samurai ($17.90) beat home Ronerail ($4.90) by 3.4m with Armed Guard ($5.60) just over 1.5m back in third.

Acacia Ridge, who started the race as the warm $2.70 favourite, started well but had a disappointing finish coming in last. The Gary Hoban-trained gelding will be stood down for two weeks following a vets’ examination after the race.

In the final lap as they turned out of the straight Red Samurai sat dead last with 800m left to travel. Dream A Moment was the leader at the bell a head in front of Acacia Ridge.

On the back straight with 400m to go the field bunched closer together ready for the final sprint.

Dream A Moment and Acacia Ridge still held the lead, but Ronerail came from the back of the pack to race out three wide and move up quickly towards the front.

Into the final straight Ronerail loomed up and got their head in front of Acacia Ridge, but Red Samurai, who until the final 200m was sitting at the tail end of the field, began to accelerate chasing the lead.

Red Samurai came from dead last to claim victory in a thrilling final few meters

Acacia Ridge faded in the closing stages and broke half way up the straight, as Red Samurai came from last to claim victory ahead of Ronerail with Armed Guard holding on for third.

A son of boom sire Sundon, Red Samurai has now claimed victory in 18 of his 85 career starts for prizemoney of over $122, 000.

2010 Bruce Skeggs Trotters Cup Results:

Firstly on Saturday night at Geelong the $10, 000 McNamara Memorial Trotters Cup will run as the second most lucrative race on the nine-race card.

11 classy trotters are engaged in the 2570m standing start event, including the Geoff Webster trained and driven Millburn Michael drawn ideally in barrier one.

The Holdonmyheart gelding is looking to atone for his poor last start efforts in the Hambletonian Trot where he started as the $1.70 favourite but broke under pressure finishing a dismal second last.

Millburn Michael faces some tough competition on Saturday night, including consistent filly Moni Bea in barrier two coming off a last start victory.

Gentlemans Honour is also worth keep an eye on despite drawing awkwardly with barrier seven as he aims for his third successive victory. The Safely Kept gelding has saluted in ten of his 31 career starts and will be driven by the talented Greg Sugars on Saturday night.

Look Here Bloke is coming off a gallant third place to Sundons Gift in the Maori’s Idol Memorial and looks well placed to finish in the money again on Saturday

Drawn on the outside of Gentlemans Honour in barrier eight is the improving Sundon gelding Look Here Bloke. Look Here Bloke is coming off a gallant third place to Sundons Gift in the Maori’s Idol Memorial and looks well placed to finish in the money again here.

The other harness racing feature held at Geelong at the Saturday meeting will be the $25, 000 Geelong Pacing Cup (Race 7 – 9:32pm). The McNamara Memorial Trotters Cup will take place earlier in the night as race five at 8:30pm.

Sunday the great trotting action continues with the $10, 000 Gunbower Trotters Cup at Gunbower, Echuca.

A small but quality field of seven horses are set to start in the 2530m standing start feature including the gifted Maori’s Idol mare Thepowerofhealing.

Drawn on the far outside in barrier seven the Charlton Trotters Cup winner will be ridden by Nathan Jack and looks well positioned to claim her fourth win from five starts.

Sharendoo Lass will enjoy the inside barrier while the Joe Attard trained and driven Kellys Nippa is another strong chance in barrier four.

The 2010 Cohuna Car Sales Gunbower Trotters Cup will run as race six on the evening’s exciting eight-race programme and is due to start at 7:56pm.

The brilliant Sundons Gift started the 2010 Maori’s Idol Memorial as the clear favourite at $1.30 and didn’t disappoint once again as he beat home stablemate Kyvalley Mac ($21.40) by 3.7m, giving Lang the quinella.

Long-priced outsider Look Here Bloke ($75.60) finished a further 2.9m back in a desperate fight for third, beating Acacia Ridge ($28.10) by a fraction to the line.

The win gave dual Inter Dominion champion Sundons Gift back-to-back success in the Maori’s Idol Memorial

The win gave dual Inter Dominion champion Sundons Gift back-to-back success in the Maori’s Idol Memorial after he claimed victory there last year.

After starting from a poor back row barrier, eight-year-old Sundons Gift and Lang worked their way up the field and were sitting three wide and one back at the bell. They sat on the back of Joe Bro, installed as the $7.70 second favourite, and had a dream run.

While Joe Bro faded to finish sixth 8.7m back from the winner, with 300m to go Sundons Gift charged into the lead, sailing past his rivals for the win.

Sundons Gift ran a mile rate of 2:00.3 in Friday night’s victory, which was his 31^st win from 59 career starts, his fifth in succession. The impressive Sundon gelding has now earned over $830, 670 in prizemoney making him the third highest earning trotter in Australasia.

Sundons Gift was ridden by Lang’s son Chris Jnr. who boasts an unbeaten record driving the star, having won eight from eight.

2010 Maoris Idol Memorial Results:

Sundons Gift is now a six-time Group 1 winner following his win in the Sunnyfield Trotters Mile

Brilliant eight-year-old trotter Sundons Gift claimed another impressive feature when he took out the 2010 Sunnyfield Trotters Mile, giving the Chris Lang trained and driven son of Sundon his 30^th career victory from 58 starts and his sixth Group 1 success.

Sundons Gift started the race as the hot $1.10 favourite and led throughout the 1609m mobile start sprint after jumping well from barrier three. The classy Inter Dominion champion held strong to defeat local mare Misschells ($25.30), who had a great run behind the leader all the way, by 3.6m.

It was a photo finish for third with the highly seeded Cillas Earl ($7) 7m back from the winner after racing out wide, just a fraction in front of long priced roughie La Mosca ($108) only 0.1m further back.

Sundons Gift narrowly missed out on the Australian mile record of 1:56.2, running a sharp 1:56.3.

2010 NSW Sunnyfield Trotters Mile Results:

Starting as the $3.90 favourite, the Peter Manning-trained Joe Bro beat home the Geoff Webster trained and driven Millburn Michael ($4.30) by a mere head with Red Samurai ($16.20) over 5m back for third.

It was a disappointing finish for some of the other fancied elects in the Cup including Dream A Moment ($7.50) in eighth, Earl Of Mot ($5.60) in ninth and Bete Noire ($8.60) who finished dead last. Bete Noire surprised many after starting badly and tiring terribly leading to a vets’ examination after the race.

Runner-up Milburn Michael was the leader at the bell despite a slow start. At the 800m mark Millburn Michael held the lead by a metre while Joe Bro was sitting out three wide. After a 33.3 second quarter, the eventual winner loomed up alongside Millburn Michael. The pair ran side by side throughout the 29.4 third quarter before Joe Bro went into the lead going into the home straight.

Millburn Michael pulled out all he had, putting the pressure on Joe Bro to maintain the lead. Although Millburn Michael’s last burst of acceleration shortened the winning margin to just a head, Joe Bro held onto the lead long enough to take out the title.

The fourth quarter was run in 29.1 and the mile rate was a solid 2:05.3.

The winning son of Sundon has now won eight of their 15 career starts for just over $57, 000 in prizemoney.

The other feature harness race at the meeting was the Terang & District Co-op Pacing Cup won by Ti Vogliobene ($9) 1.7m ahead of the $4.60 favourite Ohoka Nevada.

Also held over the weekend was the $10 000 Wangaratta Trotters Cup at Shepparton on Sunday where seven-year-old mare Thepowerofhealing claimed victory.

2010 Terang Trotters Cup Results: