Red Samurai ($17.90) beat home Ronerail ($4.90) by 3.4m with Armed Guard ($5.60) just over 1.5m back in third.

Acacia Ridge, who started the race as the warm $2.70 favourite, started well but had a disappointing finish coming in last. The Gary Hoban-trained gelding will be stood down for two weeks following a vets’ examination after the race.

In the final lap as they turned out of the straight Red Samurai sat dead last with 800m left to travel. Dream A Moment was the leader at the bell a head in front of Acacia Ridge.

On the back straight with 400m to go the field bunched closer together ready for the final sprint.

Dream A Moment and Acacia Ridge still held the lead, but Ronerail came from the back of the pack to race out three wide and move up quickly towards the front.

Into the final straight Ronerail loomed up and got their head in front of Acacia Ridge, but Red Samurai, who until the final 200m was sitting at the tail end of the field, began to accelerate chasing the lead.

Red Samurai came from dead last to claim victory in a thrilling final few meters

Acacia Ridge faded in the closing stages and broke half way up the straight, as Red Samurai came from last to claim victory ahead of Ronerail with Armed Guard holding on for third.

A son of boom sire Sundon, Red Samurai has now claimed victory in 18 of his 85 career starts for prizemoney of over $122, 000.

2010 Bruce Skeggs Trotters Cup Results:

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

Due to be driven by Nathan Jack, Thepowerofhealing is the only last-start winner in the 11 horse final field. The Maori’s Idol filly is looking for her 18^th career win but has drawn poorly with barrier ten.

Coming off a last start third place to Joe Bro in the Terang Trotters Cup is the ever improving Red Samurai, starting this Saturday in the back row barrier 11. The Clinton Welsh trained and driven Sundon Colt will have to pull out near career best form to overcome this less than favourable draw, but a recent run in the Group 1 Inter Dominion Championship will have boosted their confidence and the drop back in class here will suit them.

Dream A Moment is another trotter who made it to the Inter Dominion Championship final this year. Dream A Moment ran dead last in the Inter Dominion and then could only manage to finish eight in the Terang Cup last weekend, but the Kerryn Manning trained and driven filly is looking to improve on her recent form and has drawn barrier seven for Saturday.

Neville Welsh’s Si Capisco is another sharp gelding to keep an eye on starting from barrier five.

Meanwhile, premier horseman Chris Lang has two of his trotters running in the Charlton Cup, Kyvalley Mirage drawn ideally in barrier two and Groovy Bromac in nine.

The Charlton & District Community Bank Charlton Trotters Cup will run as race five at the meeting’s great eight race programme and is due to jump at 6:29pm.

The other highlight harness event of the night is race seven (7:24pm), where 12 quality pacers will contest the $25, 000 Charlton Pacers Cup.

2010 Charlton Trotters Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw:

Starting as the $3.90 favourite, the Peter Manning-trained Joe Bro beat home the Geoff Webster trained and driven Millburn Michael ($4.30) by a mere head with Red Samurai ($16.20) over 5m back for third.

It was a disappointing finish for some of the other fancied elects in the Cup including Dream A Moment ($7.50) in eighth, Earl Of Mot ($5.60) in ninth and Bete Noire ($8.60) who finished dead last. Bete Noire surprised many after starting badly and tiring terribly leading to a vets’ examination after the race.

Runner-up Milburn Michael was the leader at the bell despite a slow start. At the 800m mark Millburn Michael held the lead by a metre while Joe Bro was sitting out three wide. After a 33.3 second quarter, the eventual winner loomed up alongside Millburn Michael. The pair ran side by side throughout the 29.4 third quarter before Joe Bro went into the lead going into the home straight.

Millburn Michael pulled out all he had, putting the pressure on Joe Bro to maintain the lead. Although Millburn Michael’s last burst of acceleration shortened the winning margin to just a head, Joe Bro held onto the lead long enough to take out the title.

The fourth quarter was run in 29.1 and the mile rate was a solid 2:05.3.

The winning son of Sundon has now won eight of their 15 career starts for just over $57, 000 in prizemoney.

The other feature harness race at the meeting was the Terang & District Co-op Pacing Cup won by Ti Vogliobene ($9) 1.7m ahead of the $4.60 favourite Ohoka Nevada.

Also held over the weekend was the $10 000 Wangaratta Trotters Cup at Shepparton on Sunday where seven-year-old mare Thepowerofhealing claimed victory.

2010 Terang Trotters Cup Results:

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:

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.