Hamilton’s top 12 seeds for the Inter

It has certainly been a contrasting start to this NSW Inter Dominion.

In the pacing series, it’s been everything we expected – well, even more to be precise – as far as the dominance of the big guns (refer Team McCarthy).

Pause and think about this. Team McCarthy has four pacers in the series and across the six heats so far they have netted five wins and three seconds. That’s nuts!

And Belinda and Luke McCarthy’s troops stifle Grand Final betting with the first three in the market – King Of Swing, Expensive Ego and Spirit Of St Louis. Even their grand old fourth-stringer, Alta Orlando, is still seventh in the betting order. The quartet looks certain to make the final.

But what about the trotting series? As if night one didn’t throw-up enough curveballs with Tough Monarch’s shocker, Funky Monkey’s naughtiness, Majestic Man’s lacklustre win, The Penny Drops monstrous run and the revelation that was 15-start veteran Timothy Red.

Turns out that was only an entrée to the drama of night two at Bathurst last night.

Majestic Man fell in a heap, his series potentially in tatters.

Funky Monkey galloped (again) herself out of the series.

Maori Law, driven more aggressive, stamped himself as a major final player, while Tough Monarch returned to something like his best and Lotamuscle built from night one to win a heat.

The Penny Drops was fantastic over a 1730m trip she usually hardly gets warm at, to run fifth. Bring on the 3009m of the final.

But it was Timothy Red and those lovable, passionate Rando folks who stole the show again. Start number 16 netted Inter Dominion heat win number two.

So, bring on the draws and the theatre that is the last round of heats, the final surge of desperation to qualify for the final, at Newcastle on Sunday night.

Everyone has their own opinions, but for the record, my top 12 seeds in both divisions at the halfway mark are below.

How do you see them?

PACERS: Expensive Ego, King Of Swing, Spirit Of St Louis, Majestic Cruiser, Malcolms Rhythm, Max Delight, Triple Eight, Alta Orlando, The Black Prince, Boncel Benjamin, Pocket Of Terror, Mach Dan.

TROTTERS: Pink Galahs, Maori Law, The Penny Drops, Timothy Red, Lotamuscle, Tough Monarch, Humble Ladd, Majestic Man (pending fitness), Caligula, Just Believe, Kyvalley Chief, One Majic Kenny.

By Adam Hamilton