Wagering hike ‘shows value of Inter Dominion in Queensland’

The three-night 2025 Brisbane Inter Dominion series at Albion Park bucked the national wagering trend to return a thumping 12.4 per cent increase on the 2023 event.

Leap To Fame after his 2025 Inter Dominion victory. Picture: Darren Clayton

Wagering on the 2025 Brisbane Inter Dominion series has smashed a string of records.

The three-night series at Albion Park bucked the national wagering trend to return a thumping 12.4 per cent increase – $6,799,000 compared to $6,051,000 – on the last Ladbrokes Brisbane Inter Dominion in December, 2023.

It was by far the biggest turnover meeting in Queensland harness history, representing a 23 per cent hike on the corresponding meeting last year, headlined by the Group 1 Blacks A Fake.

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“It shows the value of having the Ladbrokes Inter Dominion back in Queensland, not just this year, but for the next two years as well,” Racing Queensland’s senior racing manager Andrew Clarke said.

“That’s crucial. We always felt whatever we achieved this year, we could really build on by having the iconic series three years in a row.

“We’re thrilled to set a turnover record and crowning our own local champion Leap To Fame again added another layer. Throw in another Queenslander, Speak The Truth, running second and it was a golden night for the sport.

“It was really important for us to get lots of interstate flavour and the Kiwis back across. To have the Kiwis finish second and third in the trotting final will surely attract more of them back next year.”

“A MODERN DAY CHAMPION, BECOMES RACING ROYALTY.”

The champion, the superstar – LEAP TO FAME – is now a dual Inter Dominion winner after dominating the $1 million Grand Circuit feature on home turf.

What. A. Horse! 🌟 #QLDisRacingpic.twitter.com/jmf6avye1o

— RaceQ (@RaceQLD) July 19, 2025

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This year’s Inter Dominion was condensed from four to three nights of racing – two rounds of heats into finals.

Average betting per race across the three nights compared to the 2023 series grew by 20.2 per cent from $446,000 to $536,000.

“It was terrific to see really strong figures around the trotting races, too. It really vindicates running the pacing and trotting series’ together,” Clarke said.

Favourites won both finals with Leap To Fame at $1.22 and Victorian star Arcee Phoenix backed into $2.60 in the trotting final.

Albion Park chairman Greg Mitchell said a full review was planned despite the strong wagering results.

“We’re obviously thrilled with the wagering figures, but the people came along, too. We had a record modern crowd on the final night.

“When you’ve got such a big event for three years, you can and must always learn from year one,” he said.

“We know we didn’t get everything right and we’re taking all the feedback on-board as part of our review.”

He's done it again!

Hear from Grant Dixon after Leap To Fame's Inter Dominion Pacing Grand Final win, and the crowd just love it! 🥳@[e-mail]/wvplEmodXi

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 19, 2025

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One of the major talking points was the marathon 3157m distance for the finals.

“Whether we need them that far or 2680m is far enough will be something we look seriously at,” Mitchell said.

But Mitchell backed the innovative “bonus points” system used for the first time in Brisbane and which enabled star Kiwi veteran Oscar Bonavena to make the trotting final and finish a huge third.

“You want the best horses getting into the finals and by reducing the number of heats from three to two, it’s important we have mechanisms for unlucky horses to get extra points when it matters,” he said.

“We’re committed to the bonus points, but that’s not to say we won’t tinker with how they work.”

• Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.