by Adam Hamilton

Australia’s most successful driver Chris Alford turned back the clock on opening night of the Inter Dominion at Newcastle last Friday (Nov. 29).

Alford, 56, is the only Down Under driver to top 8,000 careers wins and is poised to add to the two Inter Dominion titles he has won after partnering two dominant heat winners to launch the New South Wales series.

It was Alford’s drive on the rejuvenated former Kiwi pacer Cantfindabettorman who had everyone talking.

When the pace slowed momentarily up front, Alford launched his horse like a rocket and blasted around the field to take the lead and effectively control the race.

Cantfindabettorman coasted home from there to win by almost five meters in a slick 1:53.9 mile rate for 2,030 meters.

“That was fun,” Alford said with a laugh. “He’s got a tremendous turn of speed and you often find in the early heats [of the Inter Dominion], drivers will try to get away with going as slowly as they can because the horses have the three races in that first week.

“They slowed-up quite noticeably, so I pulled the ripcord and he really picked up quickly. I was around them in no time and then, importantly, he relaxed beautifully again when I found the front.

“He’s a real credit to Isabel and Pete [Walsh] this horse. He’s really thrived in the few months since they took over training him. He’s so versatile and that gave me the chance… He can win, he can win the final this horse. It’s not a strong series with Leap To Fame and Swayzee missing. He’s right up there with the rest of them.”

An hour later, Alford was at it again.

This time in more traditional style by buzzing classy mare Queen Elida straight to the lead and dictating terms to his liking in front.

It was a real glimpse of the best Queen Elida, who has been mixing her form a little in recent months,

“Lil [trainer Brent Lilley] said she was primed and that’s how she felt,” Alford said. “She’s awesome when right and it’s great to have her back to her best.

“Like the pacers, with Just Believe out, this is a winnable final.”

Queen Elida has finished third to Just Believe in the past two Inter Dominion trotting finals, but the connections of Just Believe opted to bypass a potential three-peat to focus on some big races in New Zealand in coming weeks.

If Alford’s Cantfindabettorman drive was the standout of the night, then Brad Hewitt was a close second aboard his classy 4-year-old Captains Knock to win the second pacing heat.

Like Alford, Hewitt dared to make a lightning midrace move, but he was unable to find the lead. The quicker thinker was able to angle into a one-out, one-back trail and despite spending that midrace petrol, Captains Knock still overpowered his rivals late to stamp himself as a major hope for the final.

The one they all have to beat in the pacing final is veteran WA star Minstrel, who gave young driver Deni Roberts an easy win at her first drive in an Inter Dominion series.

“He felt fantastic and did that so easily,” Roberts said. “The most exciting part was the speed he showed. He doesn’t get the chance to show that much back home around the small track at Gloucester Park, but I can’t wait for him to get to the big Menangle track [1,400 meters] come final time.

“He will thrive on the racing the old fella and should just keep improving as the series goes on. He’s never been better.”

While Queen Elida is a deserving favorite for the trotting final, things could change as the series goes on and depending on barrier draws.

Rejuvenated former top youngster The Locomotive won his heat well and capped a great night for Hewitt, who also trained and drove Captains Knock.

The run of injury-plagued Victorian Plymouth Chubb to finish a close second after sitting parked outside The Locomotive was one of the best performances of the night.

Keayang Chucky, who finished third in that race, and Parisian Artiste, who was a solid second to Queen Elisa, also look right on target.

The Inter Dominion evolves quickly.

The second round of heats are at Bathurst on Wednesday night (Dec. 4), then it’s over to Menangle for the third and final round of heats next Saturday.

The pacing and trotting finals are also at Menangle on Dec. 14.

While the Inter Dominion is playing out, the most exciting trotter Down Under, Keayang Zahara, continues to stretch her unbeaten streak.

The Victorian filly posted her 13th win, and a sixth at Group 1 level, in last Friday night’s $140,000 New Zealand Trotting Oaks in Christchurch.

She will be a commanding favorite to repeat the dose in next Friday night’s $200,000 New Zealand Trotting Derby.

Victory would take her close to $700,000 in earnings and she only had her first start on April 3.

She’s so dominant with horses her own age, trotting fans cannot wait to see her take on older ones, including the lofty benchmark that Just Believe is.

The earliest that could happen would be the $600,000 TAB Trot slot race at Cambridge next April.

But trainer Marg Lee said that remained a big “if” with Keayang Zahara returning home for a lengthy spell after the Derby.

“It’s a chance, but we’re not even thinking about plans until we get her home and check her over,” she said. “We’re mindful she’s come a very long way in her first racing campaign and a really good break now could be what’s best for her.”

Lee and son, Jason, will mix time in NZ with three runners in the Inter Dominion series, all trotters, in Keayang Chucky, Aldebaran Vera and Keayang Stuka.

“It’s the busiest we’ve ever been with about 50 in work at home [Ecklin South in country Victoria], a team up in NSW for the Inter Dominion and ‘Strawberry’ [Keayang Zahara’s stable name] in New Zealand,” Jason said.