“It was a terrific win for James Rattray trains the winner and drove it to perfection.
“It was also a major training and driving double with the Tasmanian Beautide being the first horse in 12 years to win the Miracle Mile and Inter Dominion double.
I was pleased to join Member for Campbelltown, Bryan Doyle, in presenting the winner’s trophy to the Rattray family.
The Inter Dominion Championship Sydney has again attracted thousands of punters to Western Sydney, is a testament to the organisers and participants and I must also congratulate the organisers of the 2014 Inter Dominion carnival, which featured an action-packed program of harness racing events and which is the second of three annual Inter Dominion finals to be staged at Sydney’s Tabcorp Park, Menangle,” Mr Souris said.
The ten race TAB.COM.AU Inter Dominion Grand Final day featured seven Group One races including the Form 700 Chariots of Fire and NSW Oaks, the Cordina Chicken Farms Ladyship Mile, the Camarda & Cantrill NSW Derby, the Bohemia FFA and the Chambers Challenge Trotting event, in addition to the TAB.COM.AU Inter Dominion Grand Final, Glenferrie Farm Challenge and Allied Express Carnival Stakes.
“The NSW Government is pleased to support the TAB.COM.AU Inter Dominion, having secured the event for NSW through our tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, for three consecutive seasons,” Mr Souris said.
“The partnership between the NSW Government, the NSW Harness Racing Club, Harness Racing NSW and the TAB has ensured the Inter Dominion is firmly placed on the Sydney and NSW Events Calendar.
“Once again, this event has been a great success, with SKY Channel and Channel Nine’s free to air broadcast coverage generating significant national exposure of the Inter Dominion that will attract fresh interest from the public not normally involved in harness racing.
“Increased exposure provides the Inter Dominion organisers the perfect opportunity to again showcase the magnificent harness racing complex at Tabcorp Park Menangle. This venue is considered by many to be a world-class harness racing facility with a track that ranks among the best available anywhere in the world.”
Harness Racing NSW CEO, Sam Nati, said: “The three-year commitment by the NSW Government to make Sydney the new home of the TAB.COM.AU Inter Dominion has been a huge boost for the harness racing industry in this state.
“Not only do we get to showcase the sport’s premier event, but we have used it as the cornerstone to create Australasia’s premier race meeting with seven Group 1 events and more than $2 million is prize money.”
NSW Harness Racing Club CEO, John Dumesny, said: "The commitment of the State Government and the willingness of Tabcorp to support the industry here in NSW ensured our successful bid for the Inter Dominion Championship. This ultimately assists our Club and Harness Racing NSW to establish the finest harness racing precinct in Australasia."
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