Swayzee set to dominate opening Inter Dom heat

New Zealand Cup hero Swayzee (Rock N Roll Heaven) is drawn to kick-start his Brisbane Inter Dominion harness racing attack with victory on night one.

The five-year-old is the class runner of his 1660m sprint field and drawn ideally in barrier two for Friday night’s heat at Albion Park.

Although renowned speedster and former classy Kiwi pacer Turn It Up will cross to the lead from gate five, Swayzee will either sit parked or likely look to take the lead in race six.

It will be Swayzee’s first run since he downed local superstar Akuta to win the New Zealand Cup on November 14.

And it comes after more than a week of doubts on whether the powerhouse pacer would take his place in the Inter Dominion.

Swayzee is unbeaten in nine starts since joining Jason Grimson’s stable and three of those have been at Albion Park.

But the gelding has only raced once at shorter than 2138m for Grimson and that was a lowly 1730m win at Bathurst on debut for the trainer.

It will be Swayzee’s first run at Albion Park since he really announced himself by upstaging his half-brother and local superstar Leap To Fame in the Group 1 Blacks A Fake on July 22.

Leap To Fame, the $2 pre-post favourite to win the Inter Dominion pacing final, looks set for an even easier start to the series.

Grant Dixon’s gun four-year-old should work forward, find the front from gate four and be a league above a moderate bunch of rivals in race five.

The other two pacing heats are more intriguing with star Victorian Rock N Roll Doo drawn poorly (gate seven, outside the front) in heat one (race three).

Talented locals Future Assured (gate five), Uptown Beachgirl (six) and Team McCarthy’s proven Group 1 performer Spirit Of St Louis (eight, inside the back row) are his key rivals.

In heat two, emerging speedster Captain Bubbles is drawn to a huge player from gate two against dual Group 1 winner Better Eclipse (five) and inaugural Nullarbor winner Betterzippit (six).

Much like the pacers, the two big guns of the trotting series – Kiwi-owned mare Queen Elida and defending champion Just Believe – should be untroubled to win their opening round heats.

Queen Elida should work to the front and win race seven from gate four, while Just Believe has the pole in race eight.

Kiwi-bred pair Mufasa Metro (gate one) and Ollivici (three) should fight out the opening heat (race two).

For complete race entries, click here.

by Adam Hamilton, for Harness Racing New Zealand