Believe it or not, but only two horses from the previous Inter Dominion Trotting series will strut their stuff again this year.
And they’re both Aussies.
Twelve months ago, former New Zealand gelding Tornado Valley dominated the Inter Dominion Trotting Championships in Melbourne leaving everyone and everything in his wake including Tough Monarch and Big Jack Hammer.
Plenty has changed since.
Firstly, the defending champion did not make the trip across the Tasman Sea and secondly, the wave of challengers they face this year is deep and loaded with exquisite talent.
Undoubtedly, the challenge is monumental to keep the famed trophy on Australian soil but both are there and ready to take their place and that gives them hope.
Mighty mare Scotch Notch proved it can be done when successful here at Alexandra Park back in 1983 for legendary Victorian horseman Graeme Lang.
The David Aiken trained Big Jack Hammer will start from the inside gate in the 2700m mobile start feature while the Rickie Alchin prepared Tough Monarch faces a second-line draw after landing gate 11.
Their efforts throughout the three heats have been mixed but good enough to qualify so they have a fighting chance.
But will that be enough?
The Australian duo will need to bring their absolute best because the local contingent oozes class and a ripping race awaits.
Leading the charge is the Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen trained rising star Winterfell who gains a perfect opportunity to enhance his reputation after drawing ideally in gate two.
The Majestic Son five-year-old has looked sharp winning two of his three heats and will clearly make his presence felt early.
The last time an Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Grand Final was staged in Auckland was 2011 and Mark Purdon reigned supreme with champion performer I Can Doosit.
In fact, Purdon has trained five previous winners including I Can Doosit (twice), Buster Hanover and Pride Of Petite (twice)
Winterfell is clearly capable of adding his name to the famed list of previous winners.
Big brother Barry is no stranger to Grand Final success either after preparing the likes of Night Allowance and Diamond Field; speed machine Marcoola will represent his stable this weekend.
Marcoola is a proven big race performer and despite drawing gate eight, the outside of the front-line, the Sundon entire will carry plenty of support.
Young Sheree Tomlinson takes the drive and will look to emulate the deeds of Kate Gath last year as a female Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Grand Final winner.
Another wonderful horseman with previous Inter Dominion success is Paul Nairn, the Christchurch based trainer scored with Call Me Now back in 1995 and chases his second piece of silverware with the richly talented Habibi Inta.
The recent Dominion winner will start from gate ten and only needs an inch of luck to take this.
Beach training duo of Michelle Wallis and Bernie Hackett are duly represented by outstanding duo in Temporale (gate 9) and Massive Metro (gate 13).
Both trotters have performed exceptionally well throughout the series and have winning claims.
Champion reinsman Tony Herlihy will partner Temporale and victory will provide the trainer/driver combination their second Inter Dominion winner after combining with giant gelding Delft back in 2006.
Herlihy has driven four Inter Dominion winners – Diamond Field, Pride Of Petite, Buster Hanover and Delft.
Rising star Majestic Man (gate 4) is another trotter clearly good enough to claim the big event.
His heat efforts have been sublime and the father/son combination of Phil and Brad Williamson are chasing their maiden Inter Dominion success.
Local trotter Paramount King has stamped himself as a major player following his terrific heat efforts but faces a second-line draw after landing gate 12.
Prepared by father/son combination of John and Josh Dickie, they will be looking to go one better after finishing as the runner-up last year with Speeding Spur behind Tornado Valley.
The Robert and John Dunn stable have two runners engaged with Valloria (gate 6) and Bonnie Highlander (gate 7) representing their strong stable.
Like Bonnie Highlander, Destiny Jones (gate 3) is looking to become the first mare since Sumthingaboutmaori (2004) to claim the Inter Dominion for the fairer sex.
The Inter Dominion Trotting Grand Final is the second leg of the 2019/20 Australian Pacing Gold Trotting Masters and follows on from the Dominion at Addington in Christchurch last month won by Habibi Inta.
The four remaining legs include the Great Southern Star (1/2/20), Australian Grand Prix (29/2/20), ANZAC Cup (24/4/20) and Rowe Cup (1/5/20).
Chris Barsby