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!

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 $20 000 Chris Howe will be the Victorian trotter’s most challenging test to date as she aims to maintain her undefeated Australian record of three from three.

The Dean Braun-trained Heyzeal is coming from a tight but impressive win in the Goulburn Murray Credit Union Kilmore Trotters Cup on SEW Eurodrive Kilmore Cup Day, which bought her record to eight wins from 21 career starts. All of her victories have been by small margins, a slight concern for Braun who puts the marginal wins down to her tendency to pull last start whilst racing midfield, which is common to her breed.

Daughter of extraordinary sire Sundown, five-year-old Heyzeal is fast rising through the nation’s trotting ranks along with her champion driver Gavin Lang. Braun hopes to evolve the promising trotter from emerging start to top-flight runner.

Her competition will be stiff on Saturday night as she comes up against a quality field of trotters including the refreshed Ronerail returning from a short break, and the ever consistent In Pursuit.

The Chris Howe Trotters Cup is scheduled as the eighth race on the nine race program at Melton on Saturday night, moved from the traditional Friday night timeslot to correspond with the presentation of the annual Gordon Rothacker medal. The Gordon Rothacker medal will be awarded to an individual to acknowledge their exceptional and continual contribution to harness racing in Victoria.

Other notable races held on the night include the four heats of the Spring Championship.

Group 3 Chris Howe Trotters Cup Final Field:

Tabcorp Park Melton Race Programme – Saturday 14^th November: