The 2010 Sunnyfield Trotters Mile has attracted a star-studded field of 11 horses highlighted by Chris Lang’s brilliant Inter Dominion Trotting Champion Sundons Gift.

Lang will drive Sundons Gift on Sunday afternoon as the in-form trotter goes for his fourth successive race victory, which would be the 30^th of his impressive career.

The experienced and consistent Sundon gelding has drawn ideally in barrier three and will be the one to beat on Sunday.

A top class field of rivals will be out to stop Sundons Gift including Solar Active (br. 2), the Michael Marais-trained Cillas Earl (br.6), Ronerail (br.7), Peter Manning’s recent Terang Trotters Cup winner Joe Bro (br. 9) and Acacia Ridge starting on the far outside from barrier 11.

Another interesting Trotters Mile starter is the Darren Hancock trained and driven Misscshells in barrier two. The Sundon filly has had a substandard strike rate throughout her career winning only eight of her 51 starts but has improved tremendously in the last year and is coming off a string of impressive runs. Having secured the prized barrier one, Misscshells looks a decent chance for a place here at good odds.

The Group 1 Sunnyfield Trotters Mile is scheduled as race five on the afternoon’s dazzling ten event programme and is due to jump at 3:10pm.

2010 NSW Sunnyfield Trotters Mile 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.

It was a show-stopping and intensely close finish as the highly experience trotter, ten-year-old Solar Active ($5.60) beat home Gavlenn Ryoshy ($5.20) by merely a half-head with the $2.30 favourite Danny Bouchea just a half-neck back for third.

River Red set the pace early on, but Solar Active, who had a solid start from his 10m handicap mark, crossed the pacemaker on the second lap before the eventual winner’s driver Chris Alford found himself trailing the favourite Danny Bouchea at the bell. But the Sundown gelding took full advantage of the sprint lane to charge home first in the 2645m standing start event, clocking a sharp mile rate of 2:03.8.

The other major harness events held at Globe Derby on Saturday night were two elite pacing events, the Group 1 SEW-Eurodrive SA Derby taken out by Renaissance Man, and the Group 1 SA Cup where Mister Zion ran a fast finishing first.

2010 SA Trotters Cup Results: