Dramatic result giving young horsemen magical Inter Dominion win

It will go down as one of the most dramatic Inter Dominion victories in the time-honoured series – the 2021 edition won on protest by Boncel Benjamin at Menangle tonight.

After finishing second across the line, Boncel Benjamin was declared the winner of the $500,000 Group 1 when Harness Racing New South Wales Stewards upheld the protest against Expensive Ego that was first past the post.

This moment gave young horsemen Josh Gallagher and Jason Grimson the highlight of their succinct careers.

Gallagher, the driver, just celebrated his 21st birthday this month while Grimson, the trainer, is just 28-years-old – possibly the youngest combination to win the Grand Circuit gem.

“It hasn’t hit me yet,” Gallagher said just outside the Stewards Room after learning the news he just won the Inter Dominion.

“I was fairly confident heading into the protest that we would win.

“If we stayed in a straight line we would have won by half a length.”

It was only on Monday Gallagher learned that he would be driving Boncel Benjamin in the Inter Dominion with the pacer’s regular reinsman Jack Trainor having to commit to his own horse Balraj.

“I found out at 4pm on Monday afternoon . . . I was over the moon,” said Gallagher.

“The biggest race I had won was the NSW Blue Series.

“I drove Boncel Benjamin in the Len Smith Mile and finished third.”

Gallagher urged Boncel Benjamin out of barrier six to find the lead early, which proved to be the winning move.

Shortly after, Expensive Ego and driver David Moran came off the pegs to take the lead.

The quarters of the 3009m feature were rolled through in 29.6, 29.3, 26.9 and 25.8 seconds, resulting in a mile rate of 1:55.7.

There was only a head separating Boncel Benjamin and Expensive Ego on the line and Alta Orlando was more than six metres away in third.

This success gave Grimson his second Group 1 winner and 199 winners overall.

Grimson began training in the 2015/16 season and trained a double tonight with Egodan winning the opening race of the meeting.

This success also gave Grimson an equal lead in New South Wales’ Metropolitan Trainers’ Premiership with Belinda McCarthy.

Ironically, McCarthy is the trainer of Expensive Ego that lost tonight’s Inter Dominion on protest.

Boncel Benjamin, a son of Grimfromeartoear, raced in a claiming event in July and has now been crowned an Inter Dominion champion.

Click here to view all race results from Menangle on Saturday night.

by Amanda Rando, for Harnesslink