Inter Dominion: Kiwi star Ultimate Sniper firms for pacing final after impressive heat win

Young Kiwi gun Ultimate Sniper tightened his grip on Auckland Inter Dominion pacing final favouritism ahead of Cruz Bromac with another powerhouse heat win at Alexandra Park. WATCH THE RACE

• Inter setback as Aussies suffer another blow
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Young Kiwi gun Ultimate Sniper tightened his grip on Auckland Inter Dominion pacing final favouritism with another powerhouse heat win at Alexandra Park on Tuesday night.

In a dominant display, the four-year-old was too strong in the strongest of the pacing heats, doing plenty of work and just holding off his NZ Cup-winning stablemate Cruz Bromac in a slick 1min 52.6sec mile rate for 1700m.

TAB slashed Ultimate Sniper’s final odds from $2.50 with Cruz Bromac the $4 second favourite.

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Cruz Bromac sits on the second line of betting in the pacers division of the Inter Dominion.

What looked good barrier draws for the star Aussie pair San Carlo (gate one) and Bling It On (gate nine, inside back row) turned sour when San Carlo was easily headed-off at the start.

They were buried three and four back on the inside, but at least Bling It On roared home late when he finally saw daylight on the inside to finish fifth.

"How good is this pony, he's way too fast!" - Ultimate Sniper for @AllStarsRacing_ wins #ID19 Pacers Heat 4 @AlexandraPark !@TAB_Racing @HarnessRacingNZ @BrittanyTGraham @AdamTABSports pic.twitter.com/PZvUk2rWtS

— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 3, 2019

Both San Carlo and Bling It On will need huge runs – probably top-two finishes – in Friday night’s last round of heats to make Saturday week’s Grand Final.

Queensland star Colt Thirty One’s hopes of making the final are over after a torrid run saw him tire and finish last. It followed a luckless ninth on opening night.

Victorian sit-sprinter My Kiwi Mate used a good draw to finish strongly near the inside for third and keep his final hopes alive.

Rejuvenated Kiwi pacer AG’s White Socks worked to the front from favourite Chase Auckland in that second heat and easily held him off in a brisk 1min 52.8sec mile rate for 1700m.

A G's White Socks has done it again... @BarryPurdon and Magic Maurice McKendry have taken out #ID19 Pacing Heat 3 @AlexandraPark !@TAB_Racing @HarnessRacingNZ @BrittanyTGraham @AdamTABSports pic.twitter.com/0fDjQDi2Op

— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 3, 2019

“He just feels great. He did that very comfortably tonight,” AG White Socks’ driver Maurice McKendy said.

Last season’s NZ and Ballarat Cup winner Thefixer showed he was right back on target with a fast-finishing fifth, but he still rates behind stablemates Ultimate Sniper and Cruz Bromac for the final at this stage.

In the trotting series, Majestic Man emerged as the horse to beat in the final with an easy all-the-way win in the other heat, ripping home in a 55.8sec last half for a 1min55.7sec mile rate over 1700m.

Majestic Man wins the #ID19 Trot Heat 3... majestically!

Do you think he can go all the way and take out the final? @cassiefahey @AlexandraPark @TAB_Racing @HarnessRacingNZ @BrittanyTGraham @AdamTABSports pic.twitter.com/oZJDKrQsuR

— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 3, 2019

The disappointment of that heat was Group 1 Dominion winner Habibi Inta, who trailed the leader, but lost ground on him in the dash home and just doesn’t look himself.

Australia’s only two trotters left in the series, Tough Monarch and Big Jack Hammer, had no luck in the second of last night’s trotting heats, both be shuffled back and finishing well back.

The speedy local Temporale led throughout to win from the luckless Marcoola, who was buried three back on the inside and roared home for a close second along the inside.

The last round of heats is at Alexandra Park on Friday night ahead of the pacing and trotting finals on Saturday week.

Originally published as Inter Dominion: Kiwi star Ultimate Sniper firms for pacing final after impressive heat win