The Victorian horse will have more than one genuine challenger which is a rare thing for an animal of his incredible talent.

While still favourite and a deserving one at that, he will have plenty to do from the second row with a bit of luck needed to secure a victory.

In his first run he put in a lot of wokr early but still had enough left to outstay the field including his rival toniht Sovereignty.

In his second race his performance was even better coming from last on the back strait to claim the race in the final 100m.

In addition to that there is his February win in the Australasian Trotting Championships so everything point to another Australian victory at the Inter Dominions tonight.

Still though, his trainer, a veteran of three straight Inter Dominion victories knows the depth of the field could prove problematic.

“A lot of people back home don’t realise how hard it is to win a big trot race over here,” Lang said.

“Back home, if we have four really good trotters in the same race it is a big deal. But this week, you have about seven or eight trotters in this race who probably only have about two lengths between them.

“So this horse might go a super race this week, be able to sit parked and beat Sovereignty or whoever is in front but get gunned down by Stylish Monarch, Raydon or Springbank Richard.

“That is the problem. When the fields are as even as they are over here any bad luck will be punished.”

Lang acknowledges that in all hsi previous wins he’s had plenty fo luck with the opportunity to lead from the front by the time they hit the first turn.

Tonight though it looks like Sovereignty will be in that position whihc could be veyr dangerous.

“In front is the place to be because if you are good enough from in front you will win.

“And that will make it really hard to beat Sovereignty, because he looks the leader. What we have to hope for is no bad luck, some good luck and a fair shot.”

If Let Me Thru can get an opportunity few doubt he’s good enough, but considering he could be as far as 15 lengths back at the firts turn the question is will he ever actually get into the race.

Springbank Richard is arguably the biggest chance of an upset after an unexpectedly good carnival while the 3200m record holder Stylish Monarch was more than solid in both lead up heats.

I Can Doosit as always is a chance if he can get it right on the night but consistent is certainly not a word you’d use to describe this horse.

He looked the winner in the final 100m last Friday but with just 50m to go he all but stopped dead.

Let Me Thru is a $2 favourite with online bookmaker Luxbet.

Sean McCaffrey is seen by many as New Zealand’s best hope in either of the Interdominion finals with Sovereignty the second favourite for the $250,000 Trotting showpiece.

The kiwi’s have all but forfeited the pacing final with a wave of New Zealand bred but Australian trained horses coming back to bite them this year.

In the trots though Mcaffrey is quite upfront and direct about what he expects from his horse.

“I think you reverse the draws from last week and we beat Let Me Thru,” said McCaffrey of Sovereignty’s second to the series favourite last Friday.

“I rate the Aussies but I am not scared of them. I think my horse is just as good as them and I won’t be scared to get up outside them and see how tough they are. In this series you aren’t going to be given anything, you are going to have to take it and I think my horse can do that.”

After he said this the New Zealand Herald’s Michael Guerin made some interesting observations about the comment.

“This sort of quote is what we usually expect from cocky Australians rather than shellshocked Kiwi trainers midway through a series in which we are getting pasted.

Who better to bring about an Australian downfall than McCaffrey, the most Australian-like of New Zealand trainers.

McCaffrey speaks like an Aussie, his conversations full of amusing quips and intelligent yet biased analysis.

You could make a case he trains more like an Aussie, his horses are often fit at the start of their campaigns and McCaffrey always encouraging his drivers to be aggressive.

McCaffrey’s colours are even Australian, being green and gold.”

If you picked up the overwhelming frustration and discontent with the state of New Zealand harness racing from Guerin you weren’t imagining it.

Nothing annoys the kiwi’s more than being embarrassed on their own soil, least of all by Australians, especially when a good portion where bred in NZ to begin with.

For McCaffrey though it’s going to take a lot more than ‘cocky biased analysis’ as the Australians have the runs on the board while his horse has no series wins but plenty of excuses.

The fact is unless you cross the line first the ‘what if’s’ don’t matter and on Friday night Sovereignty will need to come from the second row and overcome two time champion Sundon’s Gift.

You would never guess though, McCaffrey thinks his horse is better.

“Unless he was tied up last Friday they have a problem because he stopped way too badly for a horse of his ability,” he says of Sundon’s Gift.

“He is a great horse but we can beat him and I want Maurice [McKendry] to get handy and put our boy into the race.”

Whether you consider that realistic or not, kiwi’s are taking comfort in the fact a New Zealand trainer has the confidence to not lay down and really put up a fight.

Fair enough too considering the horse does have a good record coming into the 2011 Interdominions.

“He has had five hard runs in six weeks over the Christmas period and his best one was his last one.

“He will handle a hard series and we will let him show us how good he is.”

One thing you can never do is discount a kiwi, they proved that by being belted by Bangladesh before the cricket World Cup only to somehow beat South Africa and make the semi-finals.

If Sovereignty can perform a similar trick he’ll be close enough to favourite for the final especially if his barrier luck turns around.

The final could be a bit of a stumbling block though, after all, how many World Cups have the Kiwi’s won?

Gary Hall Senior could simply offer, “well I’m glad I’m not driving him”, a fair assessment given the task that faces his son.

While many expect Themightyquinn to be the pick of the race, the Auckland Cup winner prefers to either use a bit early and settle with cover or to be saved up for one sprint.

However form barrier six and heaps of front runners to the inside it’s created a complex situation for ‘junion’ as a driver.

“If it was the final I’d be going forward and trying to lead or trail,” Hall said.

“But the last thing I want is a hard run over 2700m first up and to not win.

“The horse is really well but a lot is going to depend what happens inside me at the start.

“If they all come charging out then I might go back and, from there, I might only finish third or fourth. It is a tricky one.”

With near odds on favouritism for Themightyquinn plenty of punters may feel a touch disconcerted after hearing this with a fair helping of luck seemingly needed.

It will also give a huge boost of confidence to Smiling Shard and Blacks A Fake as well as a value chance Washakie.

Luke McCarthy is pleased with his runners progress and has plenty of confidence he can steal a win.

“This horse is three lengths better than when he finished fourth in the Auckland Cup and I think he can win,” McCarthy said.

He doesn’t have the same confidence though when asked about stable star Mr Feelgood.

While he is the form horse of the series, starting form the second row with the other talent in font of him could cause problems.

“I’m thrilled with my horse but Smoken Up is hard to beat when he leads,” McCarthy said.

“I’d expect to be parked outside him at the bell and then it could turn into a sprint from the 400m.

“I still think I can beat him but I wouldn’t be surprised if it went the other way.”

There’s been plenty of movement throughout betting markets with heaps more expected as we near the race.

To stay on top of it all make sure you jump on to Luxbet for the best in trotting and pacing betting.

For a limited time they are even offering all new members a $400 free bet which can be used on any race throughout the Interdominion series.

With the series one of the more open contests we’ve seen this could be a great chance to build up your betting account with the fastest growing online bookmaker, Luxbet

 At around $10, Monkey King is the shortest price New Zealand horse in the field which kicks off today in Auckland.

  However he has only shown a shadow of his best since winning the New Zealand Cup  at Addington in November last year.

It shows just how strong the Australian runners are this year with the top four horse in the field all from Aussie soil.

 Only adding to the Australian strength is the inclusion of Miracle Mile winner Smoken Up as well as Blacks A Fake whihc defeated Monkey King in the interdominion final last year.

 ”It’s good to be in New Zealand — even though we’re not in Christchurch, it’s probably easier than going to Australia — but it’s just as tough. It’s probably tougher to be honest.”

Some say there is an advantage to New Zealand horses because of Alexandra Park’s right handed direction of travel, one of the few in Australasia.

For Monkey King though it doesn’t make a lot of difference.

“He’s not coping too well with the right handed way at the moment, but in saying that Ricky (his driver Ricky May) wasn’t overly disappointed with his last run, he got pushed off the track wide and he still went well.”

After drawing seventh for the first heat in a field with the likes of Smoken Up  and Mr Feelgood, Hill says he would be content with third place.

“We just want to get some points on the board so we’re in the final, where we really want to be,” he said.

“If we’re there we’ve got to be bang on our game and get bit of luck with draws. There’s a long way to go yet.”

Hill does have another runner, Power Of Tara which will race in the second heat.

Whilst being in career best form he will start form the second row which leaves Hill with hopes no higher than fourth or fifth.

“He lacks that turn of foot but if they go hard and he’s following the right horse and the gaps come late, that’ll be pretty good for him.”

If you’re quick you can still bet on the Interdominion heats from Alexandra Park by jumping onto Luxbet as soon as possible.

There’s some fantastic odds available with the heats always throwing up a few curve balls and rewarding the punters who have a bit of faith.

Be rewarded further by Luxbet by claiming a $400 free bet for all new members.

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The Courtney Burch-trained bay gelding is starting in the pole position and is looking to be in the best form of the field.  The nine-year-old has had two starts this season with the most recent producing a first place finish at Gloucester Park.  The son of Totally Ruthless is also posting a very competitive best winning mile rate, and will be one to consider when placing your bets.

Jackdylan will face some tough competition from fellow NE Districts Cup runner Hirli Birli Lombo.  The Ross Olivieri-trained gelding has had three starts so far this season, two of which resulted in first place finishes.  The third was a second place finish at Northam in mid-September.  The six-year-old will be jumping from barrier number five with driver Peter Tillbrook.

Other notable contenders to consider include Lifeboat in barrier number four and Therecomesatime in barrier number seven.  Both have fared well so far this season, and are looking promising in this NE Districts Cup field.

The 2010 NE Districts Cup will be race number five on the card and is set to jump at 3:00pm.  Don’t forget to get to Sportsbet to check out all of the horse racing odds available on the events held at Central Wheatbelt throughout the day.  With the best odds available from the comfort of home, SportsBet is the place to go for all of your harness racing betting needs.

2010 NE Districts Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw

The trots event has drawn a field of 13 quality contenders led by top trotter Don King. The Group 1 winner had an impressive season with nine first place finishes in 13 starts, and is leading the field as a favourite to win. This will be his debut for this season, and the son of Sundon has his work cut out for him. A very unlucky barrier draw means that he’ll have to overcome a 30-metre backmark. Trainer Brent Lilly insists that the gelding is constantly improving and is hopeful he’ll be able to conquer the less than desirable starting position.

Don King is facing some stiff competition in the Lance Justice-trained Earl of Mot. The seven-year-old gelding has had two fantastic starts this season, which both resulted in wins. This includes the Mitty’s True Roman FFA. Earl of Mot is also jumping from a superior position in barrier number 11 with a 10-metre backmark.

Other trotters to keep your eye on in this upcoming trots event include Heyzeal (barrier seven) and Down Under Muscles in the coveted pole position.

The 2010 Hocking Stuart Scotch Notch jumps this Friday, October 1 at Melton’s Tabcorp Park. It’s race number six on the card, starting at 9:10pm just before the night’s feature Group 2 Melton Plate. You can find a generous list of odds on all of these harness racing events at SportsBet. The top online bookie covers all races throughout Australia and offers the best possible odds. Don’t forget to check it out to take a punt before jump time.

2010 Hocking Stuard Scotch Notch Field & Barrier Draw

The race is open to all four and five-year-olds, which has drawn some of the finest pacers in Australia. This includes Make Mine Cullen who will start the race as the odds on favourite to win. The five-year-old mare has emerged as one of the top pacers for her sex. With an amazing 13 first place finishes in 19 starts last season, the daughter of Christian Cullen has steadily built a reputation for being an unbeatable opponent. This is something that she confirmed in this month’s Blossom Lady as she took a commanding victory. Despite her unlucky number 13 barrier draw, plenty of experts are predicting yet another win for this unstoppable mare.

Make Mine Cullen will have a strong field of boys to overcome, which includes proven winner Hollywood Bromac and emerging star Remember El, both of which will be jumping from better positions.

The former Lance Justice-trained five-year-old gelding has had three starts this season that produced a win and a second place finish. He’ll be jumping from the outside second row in barrier number 12. The Kerryn Manning-trained Remember El kicked off his harness racing season with two first place finishes in as many starts and is posting a slightly better best winning mile rate than race favourite Make Mine Cullen. The four-year-old gelding will be a strong contender starting from the second row in barrier number nine.

The 2010 Melton Plate is scheduled as race number seven on a night filled with harness racing action. This includes the Hocking Stuart Scotch Notch Memorial trots event. Be sure to get to SportsBet to place all of your bets on these upcoming races. You won’t find better odds anywhere else, making this online betting site the place to go for all of your harness betting.

2010 Melton Plate Field & Barrier Draw

The Golden Girls Mile has drawn a quality field of pacers, headlined by Elena S. While the New Zealand filly hasn’t had that many starts over the past couple of seasons, she is seeking her fourth consecutive first place finish in this pacing event. She kicked off this Australian harness racing season with two first place finishes in both Bunbury and Northam. These were preceded by a win at Pinjarra in late August. The Grant Williams-trained five-year-old will be jumping from barrier number three – a fantastic position to take the early lead.

Elena S will be facing some tough competition in Country Change. The Gary Hall-trained filly has yet to start in any events this season, but put on some impressive performances last year. With fourteen starts, she managed to rack up seven first place finishes and two minors to accumulate more than $45,000 in prize money. Her sub par barrier draw (eight) will be a challenge, but she should be able to overcome for a shot at the win.

Little Big Sister is another pacer to watch in this Golden Girls Mile. She is hot off an impressive second place finish at Gloucester Park, and is likely to follow it up with another fantastic performance. Though, the daughter of Christian Cullen will be jumping from a less than desirable barrier number nine, which could hinder her chances at finishing first.

Make sure you check out all of the odds on this and all of the races being held at Pinjarra on Monday at SportsBet. This top online betting site offers a generous selection of the best odds, making it the place to go for all of your harness racing needs.

2010 WASBA Golden Girls Mile Field & Barrier Draw:

The pacing event will be another appearance for the unstoppable Has The Answers. The Tony Svilicich-trained gelding has been racking up win after win this season and will be seeking his fifth consecutive first place finish. With his dominating gate speed and ability to trounce the opposition, Has The Answers is going into this one as the clear favourite to win. If his past four starts are any indication, punters can’t miss when backing this horse. He will be jumping from barrier number five.

While Has The Answers is looking like a sure winner, the field is packed with other talented contenders that should give the Svilicich gelding a run for his money. This includes stable mate The Final Word. The son of What’s Next has had three starts this season, which have resulted in two first place finishes and a second place. He’s posting one of the best winning mile rates of the field, and is fresh off of a fantastic performance in the Claimers Pace on September 17. The Final Word will be jumping from barrier number four.

Oakford based trainer Ross Olivieri will be hoping for a top performance from his entry Gary Bromac. The eight-year-old gelding has had a decent season so far, producing one first place finish and a second place finish in three starts.

The 2010 Brennan Memorial will be race number seven on the night’s card. It’s set to jump at 9:05pm. Be sure to visit SportsBet before race time to take a punt on the upcoming pace for your chance at some substantial harness racing payouts.

2010 Brennan Memorial Field & Barrier Draw

The pacing event has drawn quite a field of contenders, most notably a whole troop of Tony Svilicich horses. The Byford based trainer had six horses in this race; however, they were cut down by two when Rostriever Ornum and Mysta Magical Mach were scratched earlier on in the week. Nevertheless, Svilicich’s chances of a win in this pacing event are still looking strong as the always talented Has The Answers will be starting from barrier number 11.

Pacing fans are well aware of Has The Answers by now, as the brown gelding has been racking up wins throughout Australia. The horse kicked off the new harness racing season on the right foot with two wins in two starts. His chances of grabbing yet another are pretty strong despite the fact that he’s starting in a hindered second row position. Has The Answers has great gate speed as well as the talent and stamina to overtake any contenders that might get in front of him.

The Frank Nafranec-trained Auto Pilot will be another horse to watch in this 2010 Spring Pace. The bay gelding has taken four consecutive wins, which includes his last start at Gloucester Park on July 23. His form has never looked so good, and plenty are expecting him to emerge as a top pacer in this new harness racing season. He also holds a distinct advantage over his other contenders in that he’s jumping from barrier number two.

Little Big Sister is immediately ahead in the coveted barrier number one, and is another stayer that is expected to do well. The Greg Bond-trained filly’s only start in Australia this season may have resulted in a disappointing tenth place finish, but this return to mobile starts will favour her pacing style.

The Ross North Homes Spring Pace jumps at 8:50pm as race number seven on the night’s card. Get to SportsBet right away to check out the markets available for this race.

Field & Barrier Draw: