Top trotters go head-to-head in last Inter Dominion heat

Snaring the drive on Inter Dominion trotting favourite Bolt For Brilliance (Muscle Hill) is the perfect first anniversary present since making Australia home for young harness racing driver Josh Dickie.

Dickie and partner, Sammy Kilgour, moved from NZ’s North Island to Victoria a year ago and have been hosting Bolt For Brilliance and his champion trainer-driver Tony Herlihy at their Melton property for the past two weeks.

Herlihy has surprised by opting to fly back to NZ for Sunday’s huge Group 1 meeting in Christchurch, leaving Dickie to drive Bolt For Brilliance as a “one-off” in the final round of Inter Dominion heats at Geelong  on Saturday night (Dec. 3).

“It’s awesome and totally unexpected,” Dickie said. “It’s great to get a chance just to warm the seat for Tony on a lovely trotter like this.

“I worked for Tony for seven years back home (NZ) and just to have him here and catch-up has been great and now he gives me this chance as well.”

Bolt For Brilliance easily won his opening round heat at Ballarat last Saturday night then suffered a shock defeat as a $1.10 favourite due to a gear malfunction where the cord connected to his ear plugs and pull-down blinds broke.

The superstar trotter ducked-in when it happened, locked wheels, lost 20m and stormed home to be beaten a nose by Nephew Of Sonoko.

“Thankfully it was just a heat and not the final,” Dickie said. “As disappointing as it was, there were lots of positives from the run. Tony was chuffed with what he did after the trouble, to get so close was an amazing run.”

Bolt For Brilliance eased from $2 to $2.50 for the final after the shock defeat, but has firmed back to $2.10 since.

While the stretch to 2570m really suits him at Geelong, Bolt For Brilliance (gate two) clashes for the first time with the other big gun of the series, Just Believe (one), who has a better draw. Despite the barriers, Bolt For Brilliance is a $1.40 favourite.

“It’s exciting to have them come together,” Dickie said. “There are lots of different scenarios in the race, but you can see Bolt For Brilliance getting fitter and better with each run.

“Just Believe has looked very good, but he hasn’t come up against a horse as good as Bolt For Brilliance yet.”

The other big watch at Geelong is one-one Inter Dominion pacing favourite Majestic Cruiser, who is in danger of not qualifying for next Saturday night’s final.

Jason Grimson’s multiple Group 1 winner has run third and sixth in his two heats so far and draws poorly (gate nine) in a very strong Geelong heat where Act Now (gate one), Beyond Delight (three) and Expensive Ego (five) are all shorter than him in betting.

Majestic Cruiser is precariously placed in 11th spot on the points table for a 12-horse final field. Depending on how other horses go, he will need a top three or four finish to be safely in the big one.

“I didn’t quite know what to make of his run at Shepparton, but he gets to the staying trip at Geelong which he loves and he’ll get his chance,” driver Cam Hart said.

For complete race fields, click here.

by Adam Hamilton, for Newscorp