Jeavons wants a home win
The world's richest harness race is returning to its spiritual Perth home as a timely saviour for the sport . . . and it could be seventh heaven for Kevin Jeavons.
The veteran WA property developer could again only watch on helplessly yesterday at Menangle as victory eluded him for the sixth time in 26 years in the coveted Inter Dominion grand final.
He was hopeful it would be seventh time lucky back home in Perth.
"Fingers crossed, this year in Perth will be the year," Mr Jeavons said, unsure whether he felt lucky or unlucky.
"I'm getting closer - I've been sixth, sixth and now fourth, so I think it's time. There are thousands of owners who want an Inter Dominion, you've just got to be lucky."
Gloucester Park will launch the first of three consecutive WA Inter Dominions with a $1.8 million series, including a heat night in Bunbury, starting on November 27.
It is expected to drag tens of thousands of punters through the gates over the four-night series, culminating in a "showpiece" grand final day on December 13 with prizemoney totalling almost $2 million.
Gloucester Park chairman John Burt and Perth Inter Dominion Committee chairman Ross Cooper were at Tabcorp Park in Menangle yesterday to receive the race's official flag from NSW officials.
Gloucester Park chief executive Michael Radley and Racing and Wagering WA harness racing manager Barry Hamilton openly celebrated the State's opportunity in front of the Menangle winning post with the Inter Dominion crystal vase trophy.
Mr Radley said Gloucester Park was dreaming big about what the next three years could bring in a period that would also next year include the race's 80th anniversary of the inaugural Gloucester Park contest in 1936.
Mr Radley was adamant the series would prove a tourism bonanza and also prove the famous pacing track deserved to hold its place in central Perth.
"This series will take the Inter Dominion back to where it really belongs," he said.
"It's one of the best races in the world and it's amazing the history that it's got - particularly in WA. It is going to elevate us back up and it is going to be financially good for the club and WA.
"We want to see the sport flourish again and the fact that we're in the CBD is a big thing. Gloucester Park is an iconic place."
Mr Hamilton believed Gloucester Park's bumper crowd of more than 8000 people last Friday night showed the code was on the verge of a resurgence.
Perth pacing officials have already been working hard on ensuring this year's series will have a strong international flavour.
Leading New Zealand trainer Cran Dalgety said he expected to bring a team headlined by his stable star Christen Me, and connections of yesterday's world record-breaking mare Adore Me indicated they would bring her to Perth.
But a new European strategy could also secure a challenger from either Ireland or Britain.
A six-heat challenge series is being planned to run in Ireland and England to determine a pacer that would be invited to the Perth Inter Dominion. Irish Harness Racing Association president Mark Flanagan said the challenger would not be coming just to make up the numbers.
Mr Flanagan, who brought his former pacer Sable Matters to the 1998 Inter Dominion in Adelaide, said the series winner and possibly others were likely to travel to Australia with some of the northern hemisphere's runners headed for the Melbourne Cup.
"We've won the Melbourne Cup, so we can win the Inter Dominion in Perth - and I'll be asking Dermot Weld (trainer of 1993 Melbourne Cup winner Vintage Crop) for his recipe for success," Mr Flanagan said, adding he believed a "plane-load" of people would also come from Ireland and England to Perth.
Champion NSW trainer Luke McCarthy said he was already planning to bring a team of horses to WA several weeks before the Inter Dominion series. Dalgety said the rich prizemoney was simply too big to ignore.
"If you put a $1.3 million race on the moon, I'd be there," he said. "We'll be there with bells on, so be ready and waiting."
Christchurch-based Dalgety's star driver Dexter Dunn, yesterday crowned World Driving Champion, also confirmed he would come to Perth. He would probably feature in a proposed world drivers' challenge, which would pit him against opponents from Australia, New Zealand, the US, Europe and a special team from WA.
Tim Tetrick, probably the world's best driver having gleaned almost 8500 career wins, said he would definitely come to compete and expected others in the American industry to consider chasing the big prizemoney.
