Inter Dominion first heats preview

By Ken Warren 

Half-brothers Leap To Fame and Swayzee are set to launch their Inter Dominion Pacing Championship campaigns on a winning note when the first round of heats get under way at Albion Park on Friday night.

The siblings go into the 2023 series vying for Final favouritism and each looks a class above their rivals in their openers.

Hometown hero Leap To Fame has been mixing it at the elite level all season and scored back-to-back Group 1 wins in this circuit over the winter carnival.

He goes into the series off an impressive 14 metre romp in the Group 2 Queensland Cup and has won 10 of 13 attempts at this shorter distance.

He'll carry huge local support throughout the series and should deliver an opening round win.

Swayzee returns from his successful hit-and run trip across the Tasman where he was a tough winner of the New Zealand Cup.

That extended his winning run to eight, a streak that includes a Group 1 Blacks a Fake victory over Leap To Fame at this circuit.

The good draw can see him continue on his warpath.

Another local hope has strong claims for a win on Friday with Future Assured well suited in the opening heat.

He had his winning run come to an end behind Leap To Fame last start but he was far from disgraced when midfield from the back row and made it four straight wins at this circuit when landing the Be Good Johnny Sprint two back to build on a good strike rate at this distance.

The heat is one of the more competitive with two established Grand Circuit campaigners posing big threats.

Spirit Of St Louis has been a strong performer at the top level for several seasons now – winning a heat of this series last year - and will relish the sprint distance with four wins and two placings from his six attempts.

He is drawn to get a trail and looks dangerous from there.

Rock N Roll Doo hasn't been far away against good opposition since winning the Len Smith Mile and Maryborough Cup back-to-back earlier in the campaign.

He draws wide but has plenty of class.

Better Eclipse makes another Inter Dominion attempt and brings good form into the final heat, scoring his third win from his past four outings in Victoria when racing wide from the back row last time but proving too good.

He has won two of three attempts at this distance and won a heat of this series last year.

Meanwhile, the two big guns in the Trotting Championship are both heavily fancied to win their open heats, headed by defending champion and globe-trotting star Just Believe.

He returned from back-to-back placings in Europe with a track record breaking win over classy rival Queen Elida at Bendigo.

That was his first outing for five months so he will be improved and is two from two at this distance.

He should be winning.

Classy mare Queen Elida had to play second fiddle to Just Believe last start but was flying before that with eight straight wins including the Group 1 Bill Collins Sprint.

She has won all three attempts at this distance and is fairly drawn so should be too good.

The opening heat of the trotting series is the most competitive and puts consistent Victorians Ollivici and Mufasa Metro against Constantinople who steps up after putting together a string of wins in Sydney.