Harness racing icon to rewrite Inter Dominion history

It will be Gath’s 13th Inter Dominion final drive, but his first since finishing eighth on Safari behind Blacks A Fake in the 2008 pacing final at Moonee Valley.

Fittingly, Gath returns to NSW to create history on Saturday when he drives trotter Illawong Stardust at Menangle for his great mate and trainer, Tony Peacock.

His first Inter Dominion final drive was at the old Harold Park track when fourth in the 1973 trotting final aboard Lochdale.

Victory would make Gath, a Hall of Fame driver with over 3600 career wins, the oldest driver in Australasian history to win a Group 1 race.

The current record holders are Colin McDowell, Graeme Bowyer and the late Graeme Lang, who were all 73.

“Sydney’s a special place to me, it’s where I first got hooked on the Inter Dominion,” Gath recalled.

“I remember being a little kid up with dad (the late, legendary George Gath) at the 1960 Inter Dominion at Harold Park and helping push Caduceus’ cart up the hill for Jack Litten (his trainer-driver).

“Caduceus was a ‘king’ and there were 52,000 crammed into that little track. I remember thinking ‘gee whiz, this is amazing this Inter Dominion thing. One day I’ve got to be part of it and try and win it’.”

Compete in it and win it, Gath did.

The win came with the gifted sit-sprinter Markovina he trained and drove to win the first Inter Dominion final Moonee Valley hosted in 1978.

“That took a good drive, too,” Gath laughed.

“You had to time you’re right perfectly on him. He was so fast, but he’d pull up on you when he hit the front. We got it right that night.

“Dad went close, but never won the Inter Dominion, so it meant the world for me and as something I did for him as well.

“I’ve gone close again a couple of times with Franco Tiger (second in 1992). He would’ve won if he’d got a look at them earlier, but he flew when he saw daylight and just missed running down Westburn Grant.

“I was unlucky not to win with Shakamaker (2002) as well. He got attacked early and it took a bit too much out of him. He was so brave running second and would’ve won with a bit of an easier run.”

The youngest driver Gath will race against in the trotting final is 22-year-old Cameron Hart, who would have been nine years old when Gath last drove in an Inter Dominion final.

The Gath name is an integral part of Australia’s harness racing fabric and Gath will share Saturday night’s historic moment with another family generation, his grandson, Louis.

“I was going to get the plane up to Sydney, but Louis is 18 and just got his licence. He said: ‘Granddad, I’ll drive you up. Let’s go and win the Inter Dominion’.

“It will make it extra special sharing the trip and the whole experience with him.”

Illawong Stardust is an outsider and Gath knows he’s up against it, but also knows racing can and has delivered many unexpected, fairytale results.

“She’s a lovely mare and drawing inside the back row is perfect. It really helps her a lot,” he said.

“I’d love to win it and don’t count us out, but just to drive in an Inter Dominion is pretty special.

“It’ll just feel really good. I’m on a lovely trotter, trained by a good old friend and owned by people I’ve known for more than 40 years. You can’t ask for much more.”

By Adam Hamilton for News Corp