The stars have aligned for harness racing’s 2022 Victorian Inter Dominion, with more than 150 hopefuls stepping forward to take a shot at Australasia’s famous series.

Eighty-two nominations have been received for the Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, including Belinda McCarthy’s hopefuls Expensive Ego and Spirit Of St Louis, reigning champ Boncel Benjamin, visiting Kiwi Copy That and next big thing Rock N Roll Doo.

And 69 nominations have entered for the Inter Dominion Trotting Championship, with reigning champ Maori Law joined by the likes of Chris Lang’s Ollivici, Brent Lilley’s Queen Elida, Andy Gath’s Majestuoso, Anton Golino’s Im Ready Jet as well as star Kiwis Sundees Son and Bolt For Brilliance.

ID22 returns to Victoria in November and December for the first time since 2018, when Tiger Tara and Tornado Valley triumphed in front of a huge crowd.

The masses are expected to flock to the heat nights at Ballarat (November 26), Shepparton (November 29) and Geelong (December 3) before uniting at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday December 10 for the Championship finals.

Those in attendance look set to witness some of Australasia’s greatest harness racers do battle, with the Inter Dominion drawing nominations from all seven jurisdictions.

The first round of ID22 rankings will be issued by Friday.

A new rankings system was revealed in July, which included horses having the opportunity to secure starts in the heats by winning ‘Golden Ticket’ races.

In Victoria, Honolua Bay (Westburn Grant FFA and Minuteman FFA) won the first two pacing Golden Tickets and was joined by Kilmore Cup winner Rock N Roll Doo. The October 22 Geelong Pacing Cup will be the final Victorian pacing Golden Ticket.

Inter Dominion nominations revealed 2 — **Honolua Bay (Stuart McCormick Photo)**

Whereyabinboppin also won direct access by saluting in Saturday night’s Sutton McMillan FFA at Menangle, the first of two New South Wales Golden Tickets. The other will be decided on October 15 in the Kevin Robinson FFA.

The Queensland Cup, on November 12, will be the final Golden Ticket opportunity.

In the trotting ranks, Nephew Of Sonoko (Wagon Apollo FFA) and reigning champ Maori Law (The George Gath) have secured starts, with the final Victorian Golden Tickets to be decided in the Chris Howe (October 1) and True Roman (October 21) Trotters Free For Alls.

Winners of New South Wales’ Tony and Jill McGrath Trotters Cup on October 1 and the Queensland Trotters Sprint on November 12 will also gain direct entry.