Barrier draw vital for Inter Dominion hot pot

Grant Dixon knows the importance of tomorrow's (Monday) Inter Dominion barrier draw.

Dixon's budding superstar Leap To Fame has been beaten four times in 14 starts this season and bad barriers have been a key reason on each occasion.

"He's due a good draw in a big race," Dixon said. "I know it doesn't work that way, but it would be nice if his luck with draws changed for this one."

Leap To Fame drew the back row gate (nine) when beaten for the first time this year by his half-brother, Swayzee, who had gate two, in the Group 1 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park on July 22.

The four-year-old came from a wide draw (gate nine) and did all the work when second in the world's richest harness race, the $2.1 million TAB Eureka, at Menangle on September 2.

Leap To Fame has also had to overcome wide draws for Group 1 wins in the Sunshine Sprint (six) and Rising Sun (seven) this year.

This shapes as the most important barrier draw so far in Leap To Fame's short but stellar career.

If he draws better than Swayzee, Leap To Fame could be as short as $1.40 to win the most iconic race in this part of the world at Albion Park on Saturday night.

In contrast, if Swayzee gets a much better draw, Leap To Fame may not even start favourite.

So, even the cool, calm and relaxed Dixon will surely be anxious and tense around 1.30pm (Brisbane time) tomorrow (Monday) when the draw is conducted.

Leap To Fame is currently the $1.60 favourite pre-draw, ahead of Swayzee ($3.80), Better Eclipse ($6) and Nerano ($6.50).

After winning his first 10 starts for trainer Jason Grimson, including his only clash with Leap To Fame in the Blacks A Fake, Swayzee was beaten in his second and third round Inter Dominion heats, but they were more hard luck stories than disappointments.

Swayzee couldn't lead or dictate either of those races, but give him a draw to do so in the final and he will likely start favourite ahead of Leap To Fame.

Young gun Cam Hart confirmed he would stick with Swayzee over stablemate Nerano, who he drove to two Inter Dominion heats. NSW freelancer Jack Trainor will partner Nerano.

Where Leap To Fame and Swayzee draw is also key to the chances of Nerano and Better Eclipse, who are good enough to beat them with right luck.

Better Eclipse, who won two of his heats and ran a terrific second in the other, is part of a big series for Victorians Jess Tubbs and Greg Sugars. They also have defending champion Just Believe in the trotting final.

Just Believe, who won all heats and the final of last year's Melbourne series, is $1.30 favourite to complete a clean sweep again this year.

Sugars was in awe of his track record-smashing win in Saturday night's final round heat.

"He's just an incredible horse," he said. "I'm a bit lost for words. He did that in second gear. It's amazing."

Queen Elida, who ran third to Just Believe last year, returned to her best brilliantly winning on Saturday night and looks the obvious danger.

* Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.

INTER DOMINION GRAND FINAL FIELDS (not in barrier order):

PACING FINAL: Leap To Fame, Nerano, Better Eclipse, Swayzee, Classie Washington, Pete Said So, Spirit Of St Louis, Speak The Truth, Future Assured, Kanena Provlima, Turn It Up, Our Money Rocks. Cantfindabettorman (emergency).

TROTTING FINAL: Just Believe, Ollivici, Queen Elida, Plymouth Chubb, Sir Fahrenheit, Mufasa Metro, Funny Face, Adelle, Majestic Lavros, Van Sank, Gus, Thebestbourbon. Constantinople (emergency).

Swayzee gets barrier advantage over Leap To Fame in Group 1 Inter Dominion Final

Leap To Fame will have to come from outside his half-brother and main danger Swayzee to win Saturday night's Group 1 Inter Dominion final at Albion Park.

It continued a streak of bad barriers for Leap To Fame when he drew gate six, while Swayzee (four) and another key rival, Nerano (one), fared much better.

The barriers turned betting on its head with Swayzee into $1.80 after being as much as $4.50 before the draw. Leap To Fame eased from $1.65 to $2.50.

"It's a great draw. Pretty much what we hoped for," Swayzee's trainer Jason Grimson said.

"Even though he's been beaten in his past two (qualifying) heats, I haven't been at all disappointed with him. He's run through the line really well both times.

"Now he's got a draw to up front and rolling, you'll see the best of him."

Swayzee won his first 10 starts for Grimson by leading or racing right on the speed.

Leap To Fame has been plagued by bad draws in major races this year, including coming from the back row when second to Swayzee at their only clash in the Group 1 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park on July 22.

Grimson is aiming to become the first trainer to win three successive Inter Dominion pacing finals with different horses after scoring with Boncel Benjamin (2021) and I Cast No Shadow last year.

He's got Swayzee and a great support runner in Nerano on Saturday night.

"That's (gate one) a perfect draw for Nerano," he said. "I thought he'd make the final and be a place chance in the final going into the series, but Cam (Hart) has driven him really well and his confidence has built through the heats. He'll get his chance from that draw."

With Hart on Swayzee, Grimson confirmed Jack Trainor would come up from Sydney to drive Nerano, who is a $5 chance.

Opportunists Spirit Of St Louis (gate nine), Speak The Truth (10) and Better Eclipse (11) all needed good draws to be serious winning hopes, but all three drew the back row.

"It'll be tough now from there, especially with the big two drawn the front," said Speak The Truth's trainer Shannon Price about her first Inter Dominion final runner.

Better Eclipse's co-trainer and driver Greg Sugars knows his hopes now rest in the hands of others.

"I'll need the two big guns to go hard at each other, especially from my draw," he said.

Sugars was far chirpier after his champion trotter Just Believe drew ideally in gate four in the Group 1 Inter Dominion trotting final.

Just Believe came from a wide back row draw to win last year's Melbourne final and is $1.20 to successfully defend his crown on Saturday night.

"That's ideal. He gets out well, so we can take advantage of that draw," he said. "I'm especially happy to have the barrier draw advantage over Queen Elida (gate five) as her past two heats runs show she's probably the main danger."

INTER DOMINION BARRIER DRAWS

PACERS: Front row: Nerano, Turn It Up, Swayzee, Future Assured, Cantfindabettorman (emergency), Leap To Fame, Kanena Provlima. Back row: Classie Washington, Spirit Of St Louis, Speak The Truth, Better Eclipse, Petes Said So, Our Money Rocks.

TROTTERS: Front row: Mufasa Metro, Funny Face, Majestic Lavros, Just Believe, Queen Elida, Ollivici, Van Sank. Back row: Sir Fahrenheit, Constantinople (emergency), Plymouth Chubb, Thebestbourbon, Adelle, Gus.

World will be watching champ's Inter Dom title defence

Superstar trotter Just Believe is taking this Inter Dominion to the world.

As many Swedes sip on their morning coffee, they will be watching or listening to Just Believe – or "Harry" as he's called around the stable and by many of his fans – try and successfully defend his Inter Dominion crown at Albion Park on Saturday night.

Plenty will be tuning in from the US as well.

Just Believe's global fan base stems from his daring and largely successful three-race Swedish trip, which included tackling the world's most iconic trotting race the Elitlopp at Solvalla in Stockholm, back in May/June this year.

The man who made that trip possible, Solvalla's Sports General Anders Malmrot, will be ashamedly cheering as loudly as anyone from the other side of the world.

"Harry has set Australia on the trotting map here in Sweden and he has a big number of fans who follow him every race," Malmrot said.

"Harry, Greg (Sugars, driver) and Jess (Tubbs, trainer) were fantastic ambassadors over here and made a great impact on everyone.

"After seeing him in his comeback races, I would say he seems even stronger and faster than before, and we hope for the best (this week) so maybe we can see him again in the Elitlopp.

"From all our harness fans here, we keep our fingers crossed and wish Harry all the best on Saturday."

Although Just Believe didn't win in Sweden his last two runs were placings in elite company including a phenomenal second to one of the world's best trotters, Francesco Zet, in Boden in the north is Sweden on June 17.

"The fans here didn't want him to go home," Malmrot said.

"But it was time and now we hope Greg and Jess win with him on Saturday and think about bringing him back here again."

Despite almost 100 hours of travel to Sweden, around it and back home, Just Believe has unequivocally returned a better horse.

That doesn't surprise rival trainer Chris Lang, who had the same experience when he took Sundons Gift to the Elitlopp in 2009.

"This is history repeating itself," he said.

"Sundons Gift was a good trotter and won the Inter Dominion before he left, but he came back a beast and was pretty much unbeatable for the next months.

"Sundons Gift was dominant when he defended his Inter Dominion crown after coming back from Sweden and Just Believe is the same."

Lang saw it first-hand when he chased home Just Believe with his rising star Ollivici, who was unbeaten in this Inter Dominion before meeting Just Believe.

"When you win a couple of heats you start to get a bit cocky, but I got put right back in my place last Saturday. He (Just Believe) toyed with us. He's on a different level," he said.

Just Believe has already created history by winning seven successive Inter Dominion races, the three heats and final last year in Melbourne and his three heats in Brisbane.

His dominance combined with in ideal barrier (gate four) have him a commanding $1.15 favourite for Saturday night.

"There's no question he's better than last year. I was a bit lost for words with how easily he won last Saturday. He did it in second gear. He's a very special horse," Sugars said.

And beyond this final, what about pleasing those international fans and returning to Sweden?

"It's an option, we had such a great time over there and were treated like rock stars, but we just want to get through Saturday night and into some big races in Melbourne early next year before we think seriously about Sweden again," Sugars said.

* Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp