They have to get everyone to Sydney for 4 x Heats the week before and to make it even more attractive for peeps to bring them they should add a 50K Mile race on Final Day to coincide with the 100K Bohemia Crystal.
Away from Menangle, the other three heats were won and done after the barrier draw. Which from a punting perspective, was great last night but it's not fitting with an Interdominion where traditionally you get a chance to atone for a bad draw a few days later or the following Saturday in a second and third heat.
@ Melton, very much like the Derby the week before, the pegs in a solidly run race is dynamite. The only surprise for me was that when Restrepo held the top Abettorpunt didn't go three pegs. Wartime Sweetheart got there and finished 3rd.
@ Albion Park, Forever Gold drew inside her two main dangers, game over. Couldn't believe she touched $4.30. Even if the 2 crossed I thought she'd be too slippery up the sprint lane.
@ Gloucester Park, if either of David Hercules or Hokunui Ben draw the same gate as Livingontheinterest they lead and win. No disrespect to Livingontheinterest, I was on him last night and I thought Clinton Hall had pinched it but he was #4 in the pecking order in that heat pre-draw. Anyone that does form regularly at Gloucester Park knows that a horse can go from starting Even money from a draw it'll lead from to 25-1 the following week v the same field from the outside or back row.
@ NZ, who cares. That race was comical ... again. Back to back 2.02+ Mile Rates.
As much as they dressed it up on Sky2 as 75 minutes of great pacing action. A mate of mine was at Gloucester Park and reckons there was nil atmosphere. It was the first race on a Saturday evening in the Sunshine. The Victorian and Queensland heats felt like I'd watched the same FFA a dozen times before. What made the Interdominion great is a mix of horses who rarely raced one another coming together.
In 2015, 4 Heats at Menangle. Rank the horses from 1 - 40 and build the heats accordingly. The first 3 in each heat into the final + 2 Wildcards and add the extra race on Final Day.
and why not move the Truer to a fortnight before the heats. The Truer is lost atm. A fortnight before the ID Heats would surely attract a better field / lead up.
another thing they should think about as well, is I know they want to stack Final Day with everything bar the kitchen sink but the Chariots was lost in the mix last year and will be again this year. The Derby, Oaks and Trotters I get, not the Chariots.
Have the Chariots on ID Heat night, perhaps one of the two Wildcards could be first dibs to the Chariots winner.
Sat Feb 7 Hondo Grattan (Chariot Heat)
Sat Feb 14 Paleface Adios (Chariots Heat)
Sat Feb 21 Chariots of Fire, ID Heats, Derby Heats and Oaks Heats.
Sunday March 1 - ID Final etc etc etc
as far as the Truer, I reckon Bankstown should seriously consider a Sunday Twilight on the 8th or 15th. I know I'd go.
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