Racing: Kiwi contingent draw well for Inter opener

Cruz Bromac. Photo / Stuart McCormick

The leading Kiwi hopes have been big winners in the draws for the opening rounds of the Inter Dominions at Melton on Saturday.

So much so that star pacing chance Cruz Bromac and leading trotter Speeding Spur both look set to start long odds on in their first night heats.

Seven horses, three pacers and four trotters will represent New Zealand as the Inter Dominion returns to Victoria and the trotting series makes a comeback after a six-year absence.

While this year's series is lacking a champion like last season's Inter hero Lazarus, the Australian team is also short of some big names, meaning while down in absolute class, both series have an even look to them.

And the opening night should see a big points haul for the most favoured New Zealand contenders.

NZ Free-For-All winner Cruz Bromac has opened $1.45 favourite for the final pacing heat of the night, which is by far the weakest, evidenced by the fact former Kiwi pacer Cash N Flow is the clear second favourite at $4.50, with the Tim Butt-trained Let It Ride the $6 third choice from one on the second line over the sprint trip.

The opening pacing heat will see Tiger Tara (barrier four) and Wrapper's Delight (two) battle for favouritism in a heat where Spankem (five) and Pat's Delight (nine) could be racing for first-night points rather than a win.

Pat's Delight could at least settle handy as he follows out the fast-beginning Wrappers Delight.

Speeding Spur opened $1.35 favourite for the first trotting heat after drawing ideally at barrier two and being able to avoid series favourite Tornado Valley, who has drawn barrier six in the second heat.

Monty Python has barrier five in the Speeding Spur heat, while Wilma's Mate (one) and Alderbeck (four) contest the Tornado Valley heat.

The series has heats at Melton on Saturday, Ballarat next Tuesday and Cranbourne the following Saturday before the two finals, A$500,000 for the pacers and A$150,000 for the trotters, are staged at Melton on Saturday, December 15.

Meanwhile, New Zealand already has a major transtasman series winner in harness racing, with Sheree Tomlinson bolting away with the Australasian Young Drivers Championships in Queensland over the weekend.