71 horses confirmed for the Inter Dominion

Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) handicappers on Monday (Nov. 21) announced the 36 names that will take part in the pacing championship and 35 that will compete in the trotting division.

Leading trainer Emma Stewart has qualified seven horses – Longfellow, Mach Dan, Honolua Bay, Like A Wildfire, Act Now, Beyond Delight and Narutac Prince – for the pacing heats, while New South Wales horsewoman Belinda McCarthy has four with Spirit Of St Louis, Expensive Ego, Alta Orlando and A Gs White Socks all set to make the trip interstate.

Boncel Benjamin, now in the care of Gordon trainer Tim McGuigan, is back to defend the title he won in the stewards’ room at Menangle last year.

Victoria will be represented by 21 runners, NSW 14 and Western Australia one with Dylan Egerton-Green bringing across top six-year-old To Fast To Serious.

Kari Males-trained Mona Mia, Margaret Lee’s Jilliby Nitro and Tasmanian star Harjeet are waiting in the wings as the three emergencies.

HRV confirmed last week that the trotters would join the pacers in having three rounds of three heats, and encouragingly the nominations stood up.

Tony Herlihy-trained Bolt For Brilliance sits at the top of the rankings and will make the trip across the Tasman as the sole New Zealand competitor in ID22, headlining a star-studded list of names that includes Majestuoso (Andy Gath), Pink Galahs (Matthew Craven), Nephew Of Sonoko (Ross Graham), Queen Elida (Brent Lilley) and Just Believe (Jess Tubbs).

Victoria has a powerful hand in the trotting ranks as 30 of the 35 runners are trained in the series’ home state.

Horses will accumulate points for finishing positions across the three rounds of heats, with the leading 12 securing a place in rich pacing ($500,000) and trotting ($250,000) grand finals at Tabcorp Park Melton on December 10.

The qualifiers kick-off at Ballarat this Saturday night, move to Shepparton on November 29 and conclude at Geelong on December 3.

Fields and barrier draws for Ballarat will be revealed tomorrow (Nov.22).