Reigning champions to miss title defences

REIGNING Inter Dominion champions Tiger Tara and Tornado Valley will not defend their titles.

Brilliant winners of last season’s Finals at Tabcorp Park Melton, the duo are notable absentees among the nominations for the upcoming New Zealand series.

Nominations closed today, with Harness Racing NZ receiving 55 entries for the pacers’ division and 66 for trotters’.

Tiger Tara has been sent to a paddock by trainer Kevin Pizzuto following lacklustre performances during his last two starts.

Competing at Tabcorp Park Menangle, the stallion has failed to produce his best prompting Pizzuto to send him for a break.

“I’ve put him in a paddock to try and brighten him right up,” Pizzuto said. “He will have about a month off during which time he will serve a few mares.

“In some ways he hasn’t come back as he should since his gut-buster in The Blacks A Fake at Albion Park when second-up from a spell.

“Thinking of what is best for him, we will miss going to New Zealand for the Cup and Inter Dominion and look at taking him to Perth for their Summer Carnival in the New Year.”

Tornado Valley’s ‘no show’ is a lot less dramatic, with trainer Andy Gath bypassing the series due to the squaregaiter’s travel problems.

“He’s a bad traveller,” Gath said. “Knowing how he is and the likelihood of him not handling it well, we’ve decided it is best if he doesn’t go.

“There are plenty of races close to home he can contest.”

Of the 55 pacers, 25 are Aussies, including last season’s runner-up Our Uncle Sam.

Only nine Australian trotters have been nominated, including Tornado Valley’s stablemate, Mclovin.

IRT Inter Dominion Nominations – Pacers
IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
RATINGS/RANKINGS TO BE RELEASED WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 2 2019

1 A Bettor Act
2 A G’s White Socks
3 Another Masterpiece
4 Ashley Locaz
5 Atomic Red (AUS)
6 Audi Hare (AUS)
7 Ball Of Art
8 Be Mine Tonight
9 Bettorstartdreaming
10 Bling It On (AUS)
11 Buster Brady (AUS)
12 Can’t Refuse (AUS)
13 Chase Auckland
14 Check In
15 Classie Brigade
16 Colt Thirty One (AUS)
17 Conviction (AUS)
18 Courtsinsession (AUS)
19 Crime Writer (AUS)
20 Cruz Bromac (AUS)
21 Dance Time
22 Ellmers Image (AUS)
23 Fame Assured (AUS)
24 Franco Landry (AUS)
25 Gran Chico
26 Harjeet (AUS)
27 Henry Hubert
28 Ignatius (AUS)
29 Jack Farthing (AUS)
30 Joes Star Of Mia (AUS)
31 Mach Shard
32 Millwood Maizie (AUS)
33 My Kiwi Mate (AUS)
34 Nandolo
35 On The Cards
36 Our Uncle Sam (AUS)
37 Revolver
38 Sagwitch
39 San Carlo (AUS)
40 Self Assured
41 Sheriff
42 Sicario
43 Smokin By
44 Solid Gold
45 Somebeachshadow (AUS)
46 Spankem
47 Star Galleria
48 Tennyson Bromac (AUS)
49 The Bus (AUS)
50 The Devils Own
51 The Moonshadow
52 Thefixer
53 Triple Eight
54 Ultimate Sniper
55 Wrappers Delight (AUS)

IRT Inter Dominion Nominations – Trotting
IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
RATINGS/RANKINGS TO BE RELEASED WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 2 2019

1. Amaretto Sun
2. BD Love
3. Big Jack Hammer (AUS)
4. Bonnie Highlander
5. Bordeaux
6. C K Spur
7. Charlemagne
8. Credit Master
9. Dark Horse
10. Destiny Jones
11. Didjabringthebeers
12. Enghien
13. Forget The Price Tag
14. Fratellino (AUS)
15. Galleons Victory
16. Gershwin
17. Great Things Happen
18. Habibi Inta
19. Harriet Of Mot
20. Heavyweight Hero
21. Hey Yo
22. Kenny’s Dream
23. King Cassidy
24. Kyvalley Blur (AUS)
25. Le Lievre’s Gift
26. Lemond
27. Lily Stride (AUS)
28. Lone Star Lad
29. Lovey Dovey Moment
30. Luby Lou
31. Majestic Hurricane
32. Majestic Man
33. Maori Law (AUS)
34. Marcoola
35. Massive Metro
36. Matua Tana
37. McLovin (AUS)
38. Monbet
39. Monty Python
40. Mr Good And Evil
41. Oscar Bonavena
42. Paramount King
43. Phoebe Imperial
44. Pres The Belle
45. Ronald J
46. Ruthless Kayla
47. Sassy Pants (AUS)
48. Save Our Pennys (AUS)
49. Sertorius
50. Sugar Cane
51. Sundees Son
52. Sundons Wish
53. Sunny Glenis
54. Temporale
55. The Dominator
56. The Hulk
57. Theodosia
58. Tickle Me Pink
59. Tough Monarch (AUS)
60. Valloria
61. Valmagne
62. War Machine
63. Westy Boyz
64. Winterfell
65. Woodstone
66. Zsa Zoe