Sporting zealots, by their very nature, thrive most thoroughly on what might appear wildly different, deliciously dichotomous situations.
On one hand, we’re mesmerized and hypnotized by athletic champions.
Knowing we were there when Jordan owned the NBA, Ali revolutionized boxing or Winx became invincible affords all sporting lovers with their own sense of immortality.
Whoever came before us, and whoever comes after us, they’ll never know the glories that we witnessed in our time.
As magical and magnificent as those athletic geniuses are, however, they – through their unmatched, unmatchable brilliance - stymied competition.
And we, the madding crowd, kill for competition.
Much has been made of this year’s Inter Dominion series, the first to be hosted in Victoria for four years.
Partisan patriotism aside, Victoria leads the way when it comes to Aussie harness racing, and as Peter Parker wisely informed us, with great power comes great responsibility.
Courtesy of myriad factors, this ID isn’t blessed by any unimpeachable champions of either gait.
Despite this, with two rounds down, and two rounds remaining, there’s every indication it may become one of this ultra-iconic series’ most enthralling editions.
Indeed, the mouth-wateringly wonderful nature of this Inter Dominion has been created, not compromised by its lack of outright legends.
As things stand, the connections of at least nine pacers are entitled and encouraged to dream of Inter Dominion glory.
Maybe more.
Staggeringly, at least one or more of these nine pacers may miss next weekend’s final should they not deliver at Beckley Park this evening.
The trotting series, possibly, bears fewer genuine hopes.
Kiwi behemoth Bolt For Brilliance thoroughly deserves his number one seeding, yet he was beaten (through no fault of his own) on night two of the ID at Shepparton on Tuesday night.
And as Leigh Matthews once opined in the years preceding Brisbane’s usurpation of Essendon; if it bleeds, we can kill it.
Champions are awesome, dominance divine, but mystery and mayhem, in a sporting sense, is sometimes even better.
Imagine being sent into the heat of battle, wielding weaponry comparable to your rivals, but blindfolded throughout.
Welcome to night three of the SENTrack Inter Dominion series at Beckley Park, Geelong.
Roughly nine pacers and perhaps 11 squaregaiters will take to the track at Sleepy Hollow tonight straddling the borderline of securing their place in this year’s ID deciders at Melton next weekend.
Each of these standardbreds have owners, trainers and drivers that will quietly calculate what’s required of their charges to qualify for one, shimmering shot at Australasian harness racing’s ultimate Holy Grail.
For most, these calculations are futile.
The only cohort with any vague comprehension of what’s needed will be those comprising the final heats of their respective gaits.
Even they won’t know for sure.
It’s like the last round of the AFL seven by an exponent of 20.
And boy, it’s something grand.
The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the author and may not be attributed to or represent policies of Harness Racing Victoria, which is the state authority and owner of thetrots.com.au.