Trained and driven by Chris Lang, last year’s winner Sundons Gift outclassed his rivals once again as the $1.60 favourite beat home shock second placegetter, Queensland-trained Kasyanov ($147) by an easy 9.5m with Lang’s other runner Skyvalley ($5.50) finishing off the trifecta a further 3.8m back.

Improving trotter Cillas Earl ($38) was a close fourth just ahead of Acacia Ridge ($18.70) in fifth.

Sundons Gift showed sensational speed from barrier one to take the lead early, running a first quarter of 29.7s. The third pre-race favourite, Gavin Lang’s Don King ($9.60) was in second place for the first quarter, but went to three wide by the middle before eventually tailing off to finish seventh.

After a 31.8s second quarter, Sundons Gift still held a 3m lead from Don King while eventual second-placegetter Kasyanov moved to the inside.

Running 28.9s over the third quarter Sundons Gift increased his lead on the final turn, running clear from the pack as Don King tiered, slipping back and making way for Kasyanov to move up to second place.

As the leader kept pulling away for a sensational win, his stablemate Skyvalley moved up to third on the outside.

The eight-year-old winning Sundon gelding clocked a smart mile rate of 2:01.0 in his 29^th victory from 57 career starts. The $142 500 in Saturday’s Inter Dominion winnings bought his overall career earnings to $789 673.

With the win Sundons Gift became only the second horse in history to secure back-to-back trotting Inter Dominion Championships, the first since New Zealand runner Pride Of Petite in 1996/1997, and the first Australian bred trotter to achieve the feat.

The victory may have been Sundons Gift’s second, but his trainer went one better as it was Lang’s third successive Inter Dominion win.

Runner-up Kasyanov also made history as the first Queensland trained trotter to not only make the Inter Dominion Grand Final, but place in the top three as well.

The $30 000 Group 2 Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Consolation (2575m) was the other major trotting event at the meeting, won by Ronerail ($2.40) 4.7m ahead of Earl Of Mot ($9.50) with Chris Lang’s Kyvalley Mac ($32.40) in third.

2010 Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Results:

The barrier draw for the highly anticipated event took place yesterday where the Chris Lang-trained and driven defending Inter Dominion champion Sundons Gift drew the prized barrier one.

The eight-year-old Sundon gelding claimed an emphatic victory in the second semi final last week and will start as the odds-on favourite for the final.

If Sundons Gift succeeds in Saturday’s final he will become just the second horse in history to win successive Inter Dominions alongside Pride Of Petite back in 1997.

Also drawing well was Gary Hoban’s Acacia Ridge. The in-form pacer placed second to Sundons Gift in last week’s final but will have his chance at revenge on Saturday.

Known as a promising fast starter Acacia Ridge, ensuring a good start, is sure to be close on the heels of the favourite all the way.

Chris Lang’s other trotter, Skyvalley, who in a shock defeat placed fifth in semi final one last week has drawn barrier seven.

Cillas Earl, the Michael Marais trained roughie who caused one of harness racings’ biggest upsets when he defeated Skyvalley in the semis, has also had luck with the barrier draw and will start from four.

In fact the entire front row is full of the favourites and those coming off great semi final runs, with the rest of the forward line occupied by Bete Noire in barrier 3, Heyzeal in barrier 5 and the brilliant Don King in barrier six.

The Michelle Manning-trained Bete Noire was the other roughie who had a smashing semi run coming in second behind Cillas Earl.

Heyzeal was the third placegetter in the second semi and Gavin Lang’s Don King, despite running fourth in the semis, is still a top class runner with plenty of ability to do well here.

Kasyanov in barrier nine may be sitting well down in the betting markets for the final, but has already made history being the first Queensland trained trotter to make the final field of an Inter Dominion Grand Final.

The SEW-Eurodrive Inter Dominion Championship is scheduled as race five on the night’s elite and very lucrative 10-race programme, where over $1million in stakes are up for grabs, and is due to jump at 8:02pm (VIC time).

Other highlight harness events at the meeting are the $30 000 Group 3 4YO Bonanza (Race 2 – 6:30pm), the $30 000 Group 2 Inter Dominion Championship Consolation (Race 3 – 7:00pm) and the big ones for the pacing fans will be the $200 000 Group 1 Alabar Victoria Derby Final (Race 6 – 8:32pm) followed by the other Group 1 highlight of the night the $400 000 Group 1 BIG6 Hunter Cup (Race 8 – 9:30pm).

2010 Inter Dominion Final Field & Barrier Draw:

Moonee Valley Race Programme – Saturday 6 February:

In a shock defeat and one of the biggest harness racing upsets in recent years, the highly fancied Chris Lang-trained champion Skyvalley nearly had his Inter Dominion dreams cut short when he only just managed to finish within the required top six to earn a spot in next Saturday’s final.

It was an unexpected finish in the first semi final when seven-year-old Cillas Earl ($25.30), trained and driven by Michael Marais, claimed a lengthy 4.3m victory ahead of extreme long-shot Bete Noire ($82.10) with Solar Active ($41.10) 1.3m further back for third.

Fourth place went to another roughie, Red Samurai ($94.30) who defeated the pre-race favourite at the shortest possible TAB price, $1.04, Skyvalley by 1.5m. It was a strong finish for Red Samurai who sat in last place as they passed the 800 metres.

Five-year-old Skyvalley started sensationally, displaying good speed from gate six. After sitting three wide early, driver Chris Lang Jnr. had the Muscles Yankee colt leading at the bell by nearly 5m. But Skyvalley pulled hard in the lead, running himself ragged after a blistering 29.7 first quarter, which was the fastest of the race.

Skyvalley was then overtaken by Cillas Earl on the final turn and failed to come back or threaten the lead again.

Chris Lang was soon smiling again though, when he took out the second semi with his star Sundons Gift.

The champion eight-year-old Sundon gelding started as the $1.40 favourite and proved why when he ran a great all the way win, defeating early leader Acacia Ridge ($1.90) by 3.2m with Heyzeal a distant third nearly 9m back from the winner.

Second favourite Don King ($5.20) came in fourth followed by Dream A Moment with Kasyanov finishing off the six final qualifiers.

The Grand Final of the Inter Dominion will take place at Moonee Valley this Saturday, February 6, with the barrier draw for the event happening this Tuesday.

Both of the Group 2 status semi finals are worth $40 000 and will determine the final field of top trotters that will line up for the Group 1 final on February 6 at Moonee Valley.

The first semi final is headlined by the Chris Lang-trained Skyvalley in barrier six. The magnificent and highly promising Muscles Yankee colt has displayed some sensational recent form, winning four of his past five starts.

Skyvalley’s regular reinsman, Lang’s son Chris Junior will drive the popular trotter on Saturday night with Skyvalley sure to start as the odds-on favourite.

The Gavin Crone-trained Sunana Asset has drawn the prized inside barrier one, the Sundon colt coming off a last start victory at Albion Park.

And on the other end of the barriers, the Clinton Welsh-trained Red Samurai has drawn the outside barrier after being the last to secure a spot in the series following their win in Ouyen Trotters Cup back on January 15.

Lang, a trainer-driver from Nagambie, also has Sunny Elegant in barrier five while his leading squaregaiter and the defending champion Sundons Gift is engaged in the second semi.

The second semi final features a star studded field, and despite Sundons Gift’s class and proven ability, it will still be a highly competitive and entertaining race as the eight-year-old last start Group 2 E B Cochran Cup winner faces off against the likes of Acacia Ridge and Don King.

Acacia Ridge will be looking to atone for their second to Sundons Gift in the Cochran Cup last week, where despite Acacia Ridge’s favourable barrier two draw, Sundons Gift still managed victory after starting wide from barrier 11.

Still a consistent trotter, Acacia Ridge has drawn barrier five on Saturday and will be driven by trainer Gary Hoban.

Many eyes too will be on the Gavin Lang trained and driven Don King, the imposing gelding shares the same super sire as Sundons Gift, the US bred Sundon. Don King has been on fire recently, storming home to four successive victories and has drawn barrier eight.

Sundons Gift will head the betting markets as the top selection and will be driven by Lang from barrier seven.

All the starters in the second semi will move up a barrier position if the emergency Earl Of Mot, drawn in barrier one, does not gain a start. If this happens, the New Zealand bred In Pursuit will secure the inside running.

Pacing fans will also be treated on the night with the $125 000 Group 1 Ballarat Pacing Cup running as race seven at the action packed meeting.

The Inter Dominion Trotting Championship semis will run as races three (8:03pm) and six (9:30pm) on the night’s bumper nine-event programme.

Trained and driven by Gavin Lang, Don King started the race as the $2 favourite and went on to win just a head in front of Acacia Ridge ($12.20) who led on the outside right until the final meters, with Lang’s other consistent trotter, Save A Sixpence ($4.40) driven by Lang’s son Chris, finishing off the trifecta in third. Save A Sixpence has now placed in five Group 1 finals.

Don King ran a sharp mile rate of 2:04.6 in his first Group 1 victory, a career best for the six-year-old Sundown gelding, and brought his impressive career record to 15 wins from 25 starts, eight from nine this season.

Saturday’s victory has ensured Don King with a spot in the SEW-Eurodrive Inter Dominion Trotting Championship that begins on January 30 at Ballarat, where the talented trotter will come up with top-line rivals including Sundons Gift and Skyvalley.

The other anticipated feature events of the meeting were the $25 000 Harness Breeders VIC Gold Chalice, $20 000 SEW-Eurodrive New Year Sprint and the $20 000 Harness Breeders VIC Richmond Lass. The Wayne Potter-trained Morgan Abby took out the Gold Chalice, securing her third win from four starts this season.

2010 V L Dullard Trotters Cup Final Results:

One of the big names to watch out for is the Gavin Lang-trained Don King starting from barrier three. The ever-improving New Zealand trotter is coming off a sensational string of success, having won seven from eight race starts this season, placing second to In Pursuit in the other. The Sundon gelding has won 14 of his 25 career starts.

Lang, who will drive six-year-old Don King in the event after driving him to a super impressive victory in the heats, also has the 2009 Dullard Cup third placegetter, Save A Sixpence, contesting the Dullard. The consistently good horse, and four time Group 1 placegetter, jumping beside their stablemate from barrier four. Lang co-trains both of the runners, who have been installed as equal favourites in the pre-race betting markets following their favourable barrier draws, with his father Graeme.

Meanwhile, Lance Justice’s Earl Of Mot has secured barrier one in the 2760m standing start event with Dream A Moment, trained and driven by Kerryn Manning, drawing barrier two.

The V L Dullard Trotters Cup falls as race seven on the monster nine-race programme at Tabcorp Park on Friday night and is scheduled to start at 9:40pm (VIC time).

The other highlight race of the night to follow will be race eight, the $25 000 Harness Breeders VIC Gold Chalice at 10:10pm. Pre-post favourite for the Gold Chalice looks to be Lady Belladonna, the Vicbred Super Series and Tabcorp Breeders Crown second placegetter returning to the track following her sensational two-year-old season last year.

Also headlining the programme on Friday night will be the $20 000 SEW-Eurodrive New Year Sprint (1720m) and the $20 000 Harness Breeders VIC Richmond Lass for mares.

Tabcorp Park VIC Race Programme – Friday Night January 8:

V L Dullard Trotters Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw:

The brilliant squaregaiter In Pursuit ($7.90) followed up his excellent win in the Group 3 Chris Howe Trotters Cup last start by claiming victory again ahead of an elite field in 3:32.7.

The bay gelding (by Monarchy out of Going Alone) defeated the $2.30 favourite Don King, ridden by Daryl Douglas, by 11.8m with Save A Sixpence and Graeme Lang a further four meters back in third.

In Pursuit’s trainer Michael Marais now plans to take his rapidly improving trotter to the Victoria Cup Carnival where In Pursuit will come up against star trotter Skyvalley.

The other feature race of the night was the St Arnaud Sporting Cub Pacing Cup (2760m) won by the up-and-coming Victorian harness star Jaccka Clive. The David Aiken-trained winner went out as the clear favourite at $2.40 and proved why by defeating Romeo Castle by 6.2m with Harry Walton in third.

Weirs St Arnaud Supa IGA Trotters Cup Results:

A warm favourite for the event is In Pursuit, coming off a last start victory in the Chris Howe Trotters Cup. Prior to the Group 3 win, In Pursuit has displayed consistently great form placing second in their previous four starts.

Another in-form trotter coming off four successive wins is Lang’s Don King driven by Daryl Douglas.

The Weirs St Arnaud Supa IGA Trotters Cup is scheduled as race five on the bumper nine race programme on Saturday night and is due to commence at 8:40pm.

St Arnaud Trotters Cup Final Field:

Second Row:

Tabcorp Park Melton Race Programme – Friday November 20: