Brilliance on Track for ID22

IT has been a huge 24 hours for the Inter Dominion trotting series.

First came the news superstar Kiwi and series favourite Bolt For Brilliance has recovered from a health setback and is set to cross the ditch next week.

Then, in another huge show of support for the trotting gait, Harness Racing Victoria added an unprecedented third qualifying heat to all three heat nights of the series – November 26 and 29 and December 3.

Bolt For Brilliance, the headline act of the series and $2.50 favourite, was in grave danger of being scratched when struck down by illness at last week’s huge New Zealand Cup Carnival in Christchurch.

Trainer-driver Tony Herlihy aborted the trip, had him treated and whisked him back home to his base near Auckland to regroup.

“It’s all really positive at this stage,” Herlihy said. “He’s booked on a flight (Auckland to Melbourne) on Wednesday.

“I’ll give him one final check over on Monday morning, but everything looks back on target.”

Bolt For Brilliance has raced 43 times for 19 wins, 14 placings and banked $678,944.

Herlihy has an imposing record in the Inter Dominion trotting series with four wins: Diamond Field (1994), Pride Of Petite (1997), Buster Hanover (1998) and Delft (2006).

He thinks so highly of Bolt For Brilliance, he has compared the trotter to the past greats he’s driven like Pride Of Petite and Buster Hanover.

“At his best, he’s right up with them and he’s still on the way, I think,” he said.

HRV’s expansion from two to three trotting heats per night is further support for the trotting gait.

“We boosted the prize money for the final by $100,000 in May and have now added this third heat each night, which guarantees another 12 trotters a spot in the series,” HRV’s GM of Racing Stephen Bell said.

“The quality and quantity of entries this year has been fantastic and we’re looking forward to another memorable Victorian Inter Dominion.”

The Inter Dominion pacing and trotting series are run in tandem and start at Ballarat tomorrow (Saturday) week.

The heats then move to Shepparton (November 29) and Geelong on December 3 before the Grand Finals at Melton on December 10.

Team McCarthy pair Spirit Of St Louis and Expensive Ego head the betting for pacing series ahead of Jason Grimson’s Majestic Cruiser.

• Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.