Hondo gets first Interdominion

The Interdominion Pacing Championships were first held in Perth in 1936 and next month at its 84^th running, the series will be hosted by Brisbane.

Bruce Stewart looks back on some the early champions of this iconic series.

Hondo Grattan’s win in the 1973 Interdominion in Sydney gave him the distinction of being the first homebred winner at Harold Park.

The Tony Turnbull trained pacer also went through the carnival unbeaten.

The six pacing and trotting heats plus finals carried a record $190,000 in stakes with the Trotters Final worth $10,000 and the Pacers Final worth $50,000.

In the first heat, Hondo Grattan led when the barrier pulled away and ran his last mile in 2-03.6 winning comfortably. Other first night winners were Hard To Get, Adios Victor, Just Too Good, Robalan and Manaroa.

On the second night of the carnival rough house racing was the order of the night with two drivers suspended for four weeks each, several others receiving fines and one trotter being barred from racing for four weeks.

Second night winners were Jason King, Welcome Advice, Bill Barry, Hondo Grattan, Reichman and Arapaho.

Glamour Chief, James Eden, Yankee Rhythm, Hondo Grattan, Royal Ascot and Just Too Good all won on the third night.

In the final, Turnbull got Hondo Grattan away well and placed him third on the rails with Royal Ascot and driver Alan Harrison moving up on his outside.

Harrison later told the Press that Turnbull tried to ‘con’ him to carry on so he (Turnbull) could get the one one. Harrison hesitated allowing Hondo Grattan to move off the fence and sit parked.

Turning for home Hondo Grattan got the measure of Jason King but still had to contend with Royal Ascot who wasn’t going away. Hondo Grattan after facing the breeze for nine furlongs, delivered something extra and won by a head from Royal Ascot with Glamour Chief storming home for third.

Hondo Grattan become the fourth horse to go through all the heats undefended and win the final. The others were Logan Derby (1936), James Scott (1962) and Chamfer’s Star (1966).

The Trotter’s Final was won by the Jack Carmichael trained New Zealand trotter Precocious.

The four nights of the Sydney carnival attracted a crowd of 87,479 and a collective turnover of $8,021,928.

Hondo Grattan went on to win the 1974 Interdominion Final in Perth.

This year’s Interdominion Series will be held at Albion Park in Brisbane with heats on Saturday 5^th July and Saturday 12^th July and the Grand Final on Saturday 19^th July.

Harnesslink’s Tony Milanese will have same night coverage of all three nights.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink