Racing: I Can Doosit has series at his mercy

I Can Doosit. Photo / Greg Bowker

TAB bookmaker Steve Richardson has cottoned on to something punters on both sides of the Tasman could be about to realise - I Can Doosit could be near unbeatable in the Interdominion Trotting series.

That has seen the defending champion open at a sensationally short $2.40 to win the Trotting Final in Melbourne on February 4.

I Can Doosit has thrashed New Zealand's best trotters in his last three starts, posting national records in two.

That dominance, coupled with a drop in form for some key rivals, could see some of his usual foes staying home instead of contesting the series, which begins in Victoria a fortnight from Saturday.

That, coupled with Australia's best trotter Let Me Thru being sidelined for the summer, means the Interdominions is I Can Doosit's to lose, provided he can overcome his Melton hoodoo.

He has been to the Victorian track, where the final will be run, twice for two defeats, both times looking uncomfortable.

But trainer Mark Purdon is confident a shoeing change will enable him to handle the Melton track and he is thrilled with the way the big trotter has developed this season.

The same cannot be said for his rivals, with Sovereignty and Raydon having struggled to maintain their best form in the past month and Springbank Richard still plagued by inconsistency.

The Fiery Ginga and, to a lesser extent, Stylish Monarch are racing well but both would need to keep improving and I Can Doosit to lose a length for them to beat him in Australia.

Vulcan, who dominated the group one trots at the New Zealand Cup meeting, was beaten without much excuse in a moderate field at Omakau on Monday, albeit by the greatly improved Jaccka Justy.

With the Paul Nairn stars like Dr Hook also hitting a rare poor patch of form, it is getting hard to make a case against I Can Doosit.

Some Australian bookmakers had him as long as $3.70 this week but Richardson's $2.40 quote is far more realistic.

The Fiery Ginga has been the enormous mover in the markets, opening as long as $151 in Australia last month but now just $12 with the New Zealand TAB, who opened their markets on Monday.

His summer resurgence has been surprising and pleasing for a horse who looked a spent force after an ambitious age group career.

The initial New Zealand TAB markets for the Interdominion Pacing series, which begins in Perth on February 17, are far more congested at the top.

After three group one wins on end, Smoken Up is the $3 favourite but still with concerns over injured trainer Lance Justice and how the chunky pacer will handle the Gloucester Park track.

Local pacer I'm Themightyquinn, who disappointed during his eastern states campaign, and Mr Feelgood, who looks back to his best, are on the second line at $5.50.

Richardson is willing to take a risk on Auckland Reactor at $12, aware that any show of form at the trials or races will see him crunched by Kiwi punters.

"It is still a long way to Perth and he has had an interrupted season so we opened him longer than usual," he told the Herald.

Surprisingly, Raglan, because he is already in Perth, is rated almost the best Kiwi chance in the series at $13, with Highview Tommy, Smiling Shard and Pembrook Benny, all of whom are pencilled in for the trip, between $21 and $31 with the TAB.

"The trotting markets were easier to price up because the Kiwi horses dominate a bit and most of the other good form comes out of Victoria," said Richardson. "But I'll be honest, the pacing markets are tricky.

"You have horses racing here and in four different states in Australia at all sorts of times of the night so it is a lot to keep up with. But it looks like a good series."