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!

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.

A brilliant line-up of some of the nation’s best trotters are engaged for the 2010 Uncle Petrika FFA including Australia’s favourite squaregaiter Sundons Gift.

The talented Sundon gelding has drawn way back and out on Friday night in barrier 12. Coming off a brilliant succession of victories, the seemingly unstoppable Chris Lang-trained champion will again have Lang behind the reins as he attempts his 32^nd career victory.

Despite drawing awkwardly dual Inter Dominion champion Sundons Gift will start as the favourite

Despite the awkward draw, the dual Inter Dominion champion will still start as the odds-on favourite fresh up from a short spell.

Lang will also be represented by Earl gelding Kyvalley Mac drawn better in barrier five.

The level of competition Sundons Gift will face in the event is elite with two of his biggest threats drawn either side of him also in the backrow, Thepowerofhealing in barrier 11 and Ronerail in 13.

Ronerail recently ran a gallant second to Red Samurai in the Group 3 Bruce Skeggs Trotters Cup, showing he could come from the back of the pack to challenge the winner.

Other classy contenders looking to secure the win on Friday night include Lance Justice’s duo Beleva drawn ideally in barrier one, and Earl Of Mot, who Justice will drive, also drawn well in four.

Punters and trotting fans can catch all the action of the 2010 Renown Silverware Uncle Petrika Trotters Free-For-All at 10:12pm when it runs as race eight on the night’s bumper nine-event card.

The programme also includes a number of great features for the pacers with the running of the $20,000 Mittys Youthful Stakes, heats of the Nevele R Stud Victoria Oaks and the $20,000 SEW-Eurodrive Sokyola Sprint featuring a the likes of Smoken Up and stablemate Our Malabar.

2010 Uncle Petrika Trotters FFA Final Field & Barrier Draw:

Eight quality squaregaiters are engaged in the 2575m standing start event including last start winner Armed Guard.

Due to be driven by Christopher Shinn, the Monarchy gelding has drawn ideally with barrier one for Sunday.

Drawn on the direct outside of Armed Guard in barrier two is the Daryl Woolcock-trained Pepperell Dancer, competing in the Bruce Skeggs Trotters Cup for his third consecutive year. In 2008 the son of A Go Go Lauxmont claimed victory in the event before placing a gallant second to Just Glorious the next year.

Pepperell Dancer is competing in his third consecutive Bruce Skeggs Trotters Cup

Talented runners Ronerail and Gary Hoban’s Acacia Ridge, coming off a gallant last start fourth in the Group 3 Maori’s Idol Memorial behind Sundons Gift, will start from a 20m and 30m handicap respectively, but are still two of the highest rated chances in the Bruce Skeggs Trotters Cup.

Legendary horseman Lance Justice has his veteran Earl gelding Earl Of Mot starting from barrier five while the Clinton Welsh-trained and driven Red Samurai is in barrier four.

The 2010 Bruce Skeggs Trotters Cup is scheduled as race seven, the closing race at Cranbourne on Sunday, and is due to jump at 4:50pm.

2010 Bruce Skeggs Trotters Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw

11 top pacers from many of the country’s leading trainers and drivers are engaged in the 2680m standing start event including the Geoff Webster trained and driven Millburn Michael.

Drawn ideally in barrier one, the Hodonmyheart gelding has not had the best recent form but a good start may see his luck change here.

Another premier trainer with a runner in the Terang Cup is Lance Justice. Justice will be the reinsman behind Earl Of Mot on Saturday from barrier six. An experienced squaregaiter, Earl Of Mot has a sharp best winning mile rate of 1:56.2 and has amassed over $200 000 in prizemoney over his 15 career victories.

Although no last-start horses are running in the Terang Cup, Michelle Manning’s Bete Noire has displayed some really impressive and consistent recent form. Despite drawing awkwardly with barrier seven, the Sundon gelding is still has a real chance on Saturday.

Bete Noire is one of a number of Terang Cup starters coming off a run in the prestigious Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Grand Final who will appreciate the drop back in class on Saturday.

Bete Noire placed second-last in the Inter Dominion just ahead of Dream A Moment. Kerryn Manning’s Dream A Moment had a terrible time in the Inter Dominion and has suffered a blow to their run this Saturday having drawn the backrow barrier 11.

Red Samurai is another recent Inter Dominion Championship final qualifier, placing tenth. The Clinton Welsh-trained and driven Sundon colt will start from eight in the Terang Cup.

The Terang Trotters Cup is scheduled as race five at the meeting’s quality nine-event programme and is due to start at 8:30pm (VIC time). The other feature harness event at the meeting is the $25 000 Terang Pacing Cup (Race 7 – 9:32pm) where the Hollywood Bromac, Tear It All Away, Ohoka Nevada and Ti Vogliobene are all starring in.

Trotting fans will also enjoy the $10 000 Wangaratta Trotters Cup at Shepparton on Sunday.

2010 Terang Trotters Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw: