For any harness racing owner, breeder, trainer or driver, being part of an Inter Dominion series is a dream that many never get the chance to realise.
This year’s Inter Dominion Grand Final will be held on Saturday at Alexandra Park in Auckland, New Zealand, where one of Tasmanian harness racing’s quiet achievers, Warren Viney, has a share in Cruz Bromac, the $7.50 second elect in the Ladbrokes market.
Viney’s introduction into harness racing was around eight years ago.
“My mate Brendon Morrison was racing pacers and I said to him I wouldn’t mind getting one, so I ended up racing my first horse with him which was trained by Kirk Bourne,” recalled Viney.
Bitten by the harness bug early, the director of orchard business Spreyton Fresh was soon looking for another horse.
“I was looking for another one and Kirk (Bourne) said there wasn’t much in Tassie at the time and he got in contact with Graham Tindale whose son Beau had just started in training,” explained Viney with Walky Talky being the end result, this step was a crucial part for him living the dream of having an Inter Dominion finalist.
“Beau wanted to buy Soho Wonder who he was training at the time and I told him I can’t afford to buy him …..Beau replied I might know a bloke that might go halves with you and that person was Danny Zavitsanos,” recalled Viney about the start of not only a successful partnership but an even better friendship.
What started as a phone conversation between Zavitsanos and Viney on weekly bases turned into every three days, every second day and then eventually every day.
“Danny bought a couple of yearlings at the sale one year and he asked if I wanted to take a share in them. I couldn’t really afford too much and he said to just take a small share and then I have taken a share in just about every other horse he has purchased,” explained Viney.
The partnership now extends outside of racing with the duo running the very popular car and dog wash “Tassie Wash” in South Launceston.
Cruz Bromac goes into Saturday night’s Inter Dominion Grand Final off the back of a heat win last Friday week after being placed in the first two rounds of heats.
The Falcon Seelster gelding has already had a big season including a win in the New Zealand Trotting Cup over the two-mile trip on the second Tuesday in November, where Viney elected not to go after making the trip over in 2018 where Cruz Bromac finished fourth.
“I went to the Cup the year before and this year Danny asked if I was going over and I said I’m a bit busy with work and maybe I’m the jinx,” said the north-west coast based owner.
“A week after this year’s New Zealand Cup I went to the Geelong Cup to watch Code Black who we had in it, low and behold he ran second.”
Luckily for his fellow connections of Cruz Bromac and those punters that are on for the final, Viney will not be trackside for Saturday’s race.
“I will go to golf and then head home have a couple of scotches and watch it on my big telly at home,” said Viney.
Viney agrees with the market rating the Ladbrokes $1.40 favourite, Ultimate Snipper as the one to beat.
“If Sniper leads and we have to come round I don’t think we will be able to beat him.”
Ultimate Sniper has been undefeated in all three heats and his performance in the third round of heats was simply an unbelievable performance.
Ultimate Sniper is one of four stablemates that Cruz Bromac has in the final, a credit to the training partnership of Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen to get five horses into the final.
One of the unique traits of Alexandra Park is that they race in a right-handed direction which is very uncommon in harness racing and Viney recalls moments made by Dean Braun, a former trainer of Cruz Bromac.
“When Dean Braun had him, he said he would go good at Auckland as he wears a pole and gets on his knee a little bit (when going left-handed) but when he goes the other way (right-handed) he doesn’t go near his knee.”
Viney who is involved in the ownership with many horses in Tasmania is happy to support the local industry.
Although he is not at the track on a regular basis one thing is for sure, he will be sitting in front of his tv at home with a scotch in hand watching every Tasmanian harness race.
Saturday’s Inter Dominion Pacing and Trotting finals will be televised on Sky Racing 1, with dedicated coverage on the “Extra” channel on the Sky Racing Active App.
Given the busy Sky Racing schedule with a number of twilight race meetings, Sky Racing 2 will be free to all Foxtel account holders to ensure we can all enjoy a big day and night of racing.
Duncan Dornauf’s Inter Dominion selections.
Pacing Final at 19:35 AEDT
5 Ultimate Sniper
11 Cruz Bromac
9 Chase Auckland
13 The Fixer
Trotting Final at 18:19 AEDT
2 Winterfell
4 Majestic Man
8 Marcoola
11 Tough Monarch