Champion Victorian trainers Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin are about to launch one of the most daring and radical Inter Dominion assaults in history.
Their injury-plagued superstar trotting mare Susan Is Her Name will go into the series, which starts at Albion Park on July 4, having not raced for almost 14 months.
Such is her talent and record, Susan Is Her Name is still $5 second favourite for the $500,000 Inter Dominion trotting final behind local star Gus ($1.60).
Susan Is Her Name, a six-year-old who has been restricted to just 17 starts for 11 wins and five placings, is the only trotter to have beaten champion mare Keayang Zahara.
She did so at her latest start in the Group 1 Macarthur Mile, but that was way back on May 10, last year.
Susan Is Her Name brilliantly won a Melton trial on April 28 and will trial again at Melton tomorrow against some classy pacers, headed by stablemate and Queensland Oaks contender Pre Eminant (correct spelling).
“She’s done plenty of work, don’t worry about that,” Stewart said. “In the past, the longer we’ve had her racing, the worse she’s got, so we’re trying something different this time.
“We’re deliberately keeping her fresh, even if that means going in first-up.
“She was really good in that first trial and has been great at home since.
“We’ve put her in against the pacers (tomorrow) so that she is sure to get another strong hit-out.”
Despite her long injury history, Stewart isn’t concerned about the need for Susan Is Her Name to race three times in two weeks (two heats and a final) as part of the Inter Dominion format.
“That won’t worry her at all,” she said. “I guess the only concern we have is how the track (Albion Park) can be.”
Susan Is Her Name has become a critical player in the Inter Dominion trotting series with star stablemates Keayang Zahara and Jilliby Ballerini both missing.
“It’s thinned out, hasn’t it,” Stewart said. “It’s certainly very winnable.”
Susan Is Her Name will be one of “12 or 13” horses Stewart and Tonkin will campaign in Brisbane next month.
“We’ve booked a truck to take 10 horses up, then our Protostar runners (two year-olds) will go up by plane,” she said.
“Comeandsee and Cardigan Gem are our Protostar definites and Staunton is about 90 per cent likely to go.”
Inter Dominion pacing hopefuls Bay Of Biscay and Oliver Dan are entered to clash in Saturday night’s free-for-all at Melton.
Stablemate Fox Dan, who is also entered for Melton, will kick-off his Brisbane raid against stars like Captains Mistress, Marketplace and Hollywood Strip in the $300,000 Group 1 Rising Sun on July 4.
“We’ve also got Arrhythmia (NSW Oaks) winner trialling tomorrow (at Melton) and she’ll go for the Queensland Oaks,” Stewart said.
PHOTO: Club Menangle/Pacepix
