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.

The bay gelding by Monarchy (USA) out of Going Alone (NZ) driven by M. Marais scored a 2m victory ahead of runner-up Dream A Moment ($3.20) with the odds-on favourite starting the race, Ronerail ($3.00), coming in third some 8.2m from the winner. It was an impressive victory despite In Pursuit’s driver being fined, In Pursuit clocked a gross time of 3.38.8.

Runner-up Dream A Moment and K. Manning surrendered the lead early and were behind the leader and eventual winner In Pursuit by the bell. The emerging trotting star and early favourite for the race, Heyzeal, was a late scratching reducing the final field to nine trotters.

In Pursuit’s next race start will be this Friday night at Tabcorp Park Melton in the $12 000 Weirs St Arnaud Supa IGA Cup.

Group 3 Chris Howe Trotters Cup Results:

Scratchings:

HEYZEAL (LATE)

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: