News Article
Australian Trotting Grand Prix Revs Up
09 December 2008
Sundons Gift has barrier four in the Australian Trotting Grand Prix
Sundons Gift has drawn to become the first back-to-back winner of the SEW-Eurodrive Australian Trotting Grand Prix after today landing barrier four for the $100,000 Group 1 event at Moonee Valley on Saturday night.
A feature of the annual SEW-Eurodrive Victoria Cup Carnival Golf Day at Sanctuary Lakes, which launches the $820,000 extravaganza to be held over the next two Saturday nights, the barrier draw saw positions allocated to the 12 horses in this weekend’s 2575-metre event.
Along with Sundons Gift, who came from gate one to win last year’s event, the big winners were Kiwi raider Mountbatten (one), Australian record holder Earl Of Mot (two), Group 1 winner Viva La Fever (five) and speedy beginner Billy Royle (six).
Whatsundermykilt, runner-up in the past two Grand Prixs, drew barrier nine, Inter Dominion runner-up Will Trapper gate eight, while last weekend’s True Roman FFA winner Sundons Tiavon is right out of the draw and will carry sulky number 12.
Complementing the Grand Prix is the $30,000 Group 3 Popular Alm Free-For-All, which carries a ballot exemption for the following week’s $375,000 Group 1 SEW-Eurodrive Victoria Cup.
The race has attracted several leading contenders for next week’s feature, most notably Mister Swinger (barrier 11), Manwarra Goforgold (nine) and Make Waves (eight), along with interstate raiders Master Of Disguise (six) and I Am Sam (one).
