Pride of NZ Tony Herlihy ready for Inter Dom’s “greatest test”

Most people in harness racing have an Inter Dominion story, their greatest memory of the often magical series that starts at Ballarat tonight.

Tony Herlihy’s Inter Dominion stories take some beating.

New Zealand’s most successful driver is the sole overseas raider for this year’s series, both training and driving exceptional trotter Bolt For Brilliance, the warm favourite for the trotting title.

Winning Inter Dominions is nothing new to Herlihy, he has driven four Grand Final winners, but never trained one.

“I think it is one of the greatest tests for both us and the horses,” Herlihy said.

“It tests the courage and ability of the horses but also our training ability and driving skill.”

There was no greater test of that skill than when Herlihy pilotted champion mare Pride Of Petite to win the 1997 final in Adelaide, coming from last at the 400m mark after the caller declared “Pride Of Petite isn’t in it”.

“I have driven in a lot of races, but I still remember that one vividly,” Herlihy said, who insisted he was 64 until his wife, Suzanne, corrected him to 63.

“We started off 40 metres and we were last the whole way and they were going so fast I couldn’t improve.

“What she did was unbelievable. I was watching the replay in the bar by myself an hour later and at the 600m mark I thought there must be a lap to go because she couldn’t win from there. She was an amazing horse.”

That bond with the Inter Dominion is one reason Herlihy brought Bolt For Brilliance to Victoria even after he suffered a form slump, later attributed to a lung infection, just two weeks ago.

“After that happened I kept looking for a reason not to bring him, any reason to cancel the trip, because he wouldn’t be here unless he was ready to show his best. I couldn’t find one.”

Bolt For Brilliance is one of New Zealand trotting’s big three, who have been running times for the last two years that suggest they may have raw class over the horses he meets over the next fortnight.

“Obviously we would love to win every heat at the final, but Interdoms rarely work out like that,” Herlihy said.

“So he is ready to go but the locals will be too. But I am glad we are here because the series means a lot to me.”

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