The SENTrack Inter Dominion ended on a high note with new pacing and trotting champions cementing places in harness racing history in front of more than 5000 people at Melton on Saturday night.
Australasia’s greatest race series received the finale it deserved with the grandstand, lawns and dining areas packed with race goers, who watched female trainers continue their ID22 domination by winning seven of the 10 races on the card.
That included Victorian Jess Tubbs triumphing in the trotting championship with partner Greg Sugars and their horse Just Believe, while New South Wales again captured the pacing crown after Jason Grimson went back-to-back courtesy of I Cast No Shadow.
Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) Interim CEO Fiona Mellor said the Inter Dominion had once again delivered the best of harness racing.
“We’re thrilled with the success of ID22, which showcased everything that makes up this terrific sport – the people, the horses and the racing,” Mellor said.
“We had a fantastic number of people on track at Melton, which made the atmosphere exciting and electric.
“I want to congratulate the winners as well as all the participants for their hard work. A big thank you goes to our sponsor SENTrack for their ongoing commitment and support of harness racing.”
This year all the heats were held in regional areas, a first for a Victorian Inter Dominion, with the series traversing Ballarat, Shepparton and Geelong before Saturday’s Melton final. And wherever the series went excitement followed, whether it was on track, online or on free-to-air TV.
Across the series thetrots.com.au’s broadcast channel, TrotsVision, drew more than 717,000 viewed minutes, while HRV’s social channels captured more than 3.3 million impressions, 500,000 video views and 230,000 engagements. New records were also set at thetrots.com.au for users and pageviews.
Mellor said turnover forecasts suggested final figures would surpass $9 million, about a 13 per cent increase on ID18, which was the last time the series came to Victoria and reset the record books.
“I’m really proud, really thrilled. We’ve got a great team who have pulled together,” Mellor said. “The more people we can introduce to this fabulous sport the better off we will be.”
At Saturday night’s end, the Inter Dominion flag was handed to Racing Queensland, which will host the 2023 staging at Albion Park.
More media:
Interview: Hear HRV Interim CEO Fiona Mellor talk on SENTrack about ID22
Pacing championship: Out of Shadows into the limelight as Grimson conquers ID again
Trotting championship: ‘This is something special’: Jess and Greg claim ID22 glory
