2012 Interdominion Grand Final

[@robertfantasticsinginggreatson]

Fantastic race and wonderful commentary thank you

[@howardhorne1829]

Was at Gloucester Park that night. Great atmosphere! we were shattered when Smoken Up broke. He won his 3 heats on a Canadian gig & for the final his gig was changed to an American gig

[@Scotty70]

It must have taken something out of the horse to push on after breaking, looked a bad drive

[@jasonmanuel219]

I'm sure he started his racing in nz..

[@coolsofo]

A great run by the best horse in the series. A run to remember!

[@coolsofo]

Agreed, an amazing last 1/4 4 and 5 wide!

[@bgardiner2000]

Gloucester Park is just over 800m or half a mile. So the start point in the race you watched... the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere (Interdominion Grand-Final) is at the 2506m mark. So, more than 1.5 miles. The Interdominion is a series where horses qualify for the final over 3 sets of heats over a 2 week period. The distance of the heats depends in the track. At GP the heats were over 1700m, 2100m & 2500. The final is the following week with the top 10 qualifying.

[@bgardiner2000]

Great Chandon. A Classic Gary horse that was bred and raced early days in WA. He was unbelievably fast. He suffered a tendon injury with Vic Frost as a 4 yr old that meant that he only achieved limited success as a racehorse. I can remember a 4 yo sires race with him vs Golden Reign. Chandon went past GR up the back straight at Moonee Valley like he was tied to the fence, only to be collared by him & Young Mister Charles in the straight. These were the true Usain Bolt's of the sport in ANZ.

[@bgardiner2000]

Of course.... who could forget the Bathurst Bulldog! One of the greats who raced in the glory days of Australian harness racing.

[@fourwingsweepa1705]

My dad was a Bathurst boy and loved the bulldogs battles with the Temora tornado paleface adios

[@bgardiner2000]

First inters winner with his own theme song...

[@bgardiner2000]

@coolsofo I have to say but he did leave it until the very last step to make his run. They ran their last half in 56.4... He must have run his last 1/4 somewhere around 27 flat from the cheap seats. Can't think of any other horse that could have done that at the end of 2500 after the qualifying campaign.

[@coolsofo]

@bgardiner2000 Yeah he waited a bit longer than most thought! But it must good to know that you have the bugatti veyron of pacers at your disposal!

[@nomdeplume6594]

Average horse raced against crabs from WA

[@bgardiner3354]

You're a plonker troll

[@bgardiner2000]

Oh OK. I didn't know that.

[@karloomick]

crombie is racing around yonker in 1 :52

[@brianjschumer]

Karloo Mick 1:52Thats fast there..I hate that track tho..not a smooth as Roosevelt Raceway was (sister track 20 miles away)..had a longer stretch ..ITMQ..bad ass horse..He couldve beaten most FFA in the States too for sure.

[@bgardiner2000]

@coolsofo No doubt about it. I think Jnr did well to make it look like a real contest. Had he taken off at the 700 he'd have done to these what he did in the Fremantle Cup and made some very good horses look very average.

[@XxSodano]

Do you know what size track this is comparable to an american one? Eyeing it, it seems like a 5/8ths, Maby a half mile. And how far is the distance, if its a 5/8ths must have been a mile and 7/8ths, if a half, a mile and a half? Correct me if im wrong.....

[@bgardiner2000]

Maybe I remember back further than you. I've never seen a horse that could match the raw speed of Im Themightyquinn in a mile and a half race. And that's where the money is. For pure raw speed the fastest I have ever seen was a horse called Rowleyalla who set the mile record in this country in a time-trial as a 3 year old in 1986, 1:52.6... A record that stood for many years. He wasn't a hugely successful racehorse but in terms of speed he was epic. The other one than comes to mind is the ...

[@bgardiner2000]

We're heading down the path of having larger, 1400m tracks, which is why the mile record has decreased so quickly in the last few years. You'd probably recognise Mr Feelgood from this race. He was officially retired from racing this week after a stellar career. He won 5 G1's in ANZ & no doubt will be highly sought after as an entire. I am a huge fan of US harness racing... but as a spectacle cups racing in ANZ is far more interesting. As a trainer there is far more scope for succeeding. Some...

[@bgardiner2000]

I'm assuming you're talking about the Interdominion final? Niatross was exceptional... an animate watershed in terms of the breed. But he could not do what ITMQ did in this race. Although he wouldn't have ever gotten the chance because he never raced beyond a mile.

[@brianjschumer]

bgardiner2000 Ok..I have to respond, as a Standardbred fan..I love Aussie Racing as well as racing here in the States. My family and I owned some mediocre horses, but follow non the less. My question to you..Golden days of Aussie/NZ racing..1979-1981..Niatross, Whamo, Tyler B, Storm Damage, etc..vs. Pure Steel, Satinover, Gammalite, Paleface Adios, etc..I say no one could touch Niatross, mile..to mile and quarter..Maybe Pure Steel gets him at 1.5 miles..owner offered $50k to all comers..why didn't it happen?..I say they where scared..

[@Scotty70]

@@brianjschumer Gammalte on his night and on the juice would beat the world.

[@bgardiner2000]

Not sure I follow you?

[@bgardiner2000]

horses are better suited as staying horses, some to standing starts, some to mile races. There is generally always a way to win races with a horse. Unless of course they couldn't run out of sight on a dark night. The variation in ANZ racing is far more interesting than the racing in the states. JMO.

[@swanningaround]

What about Niatross? A good animal also. Could match this no trouble.

[@samohanian9339]

This is how champions win 🏆. Not like last Dec inter dominion