THE Tabtouch Inter Dominion Series will return to Western Australia next year with the $1.3million grand final to be held at Gloucester Park in December.
Racing and Gaming Minister, Terry Waldron announced the Tabtouch Inters Series will be staged in WA for the next three consecutive years and will coincide with the group one Railway Stakes and Kingston Town Classic at Ascot.
WA is going back to the tried and trusted format with three rounds of qualifying heats to be held over the two weeks leading up to the final.
In a boost to Pinjarra Paceway the qualifying heats will be held at the venue which means lighting will be installed to accommodate a Tuesday night meet.
The historic Inters Series was created in WA in 1936 by James Brennan and JP Stratton.
The return of the series to it’s origin is hoped to provide a major boost for all local trainers, owners and drivers who are already on the lookout for horses to fulfil their hopes of owning a piece of harness history.
Walton congratulated Racing and Wagering WA and Gloucester Park Harness Racing for their initiative to bid for the Inter Dominion.
“This is an incredibly exciting event for WA and a fantastic opportunity to relaunch, re-energise and revitalise harness racing in this State,” he said.
“Not only will the eyes of the harness racing world be on Perth but the event will attract enthusiasts from around the globe, resulting in a huge boost for local tourism and hospitality businesses.”
Im Themightyquinn trained by Gary Hall Senior at Serpentine is in line to equal Blacks A Fake’s record of four Inter Dominion finals as he heads back to track work after a let up from his Queensland campaign. The dominant stables in WA of Hall snr and Greg and Skye Bond are sure to play a big part in the series.
While the pickings were a little on the slim side for local trainers in the past week, Give Me Chills trained by Michael Brennan and driven by Garry Hall Junior continued his winning strike rate to back up his Pinjarra success to salute at Gloucester Park last Friday.
The win was the five-year-old’s third from his past five starts.
The Brennan stable is looking forward to the return of Im Victorious with the talented pacer starting his long journey home by float next month after a long recovery period on the eastern seaboard.
David Young, busy with a strong team of youngsters as well as commitments with Pinjarra Paceway as a committeeman, had his own share of good news when Wester Drover saluted at Gloucester Park on Tuesday.
Young’s brother Kim had success with Dearborn at the same meeting.
Pacing will return to Pinjarra on Monday after a one week break.
The following Monday meeting will celebrate a 35-year partnership of the club and Alcoa with the running of the Alcoa Cup.
