Big guns clash on opening night of IDs 2026

By Adam Hamilton 

The first big clash of the Ladbrokes Inter Dominion series comes on the opening night when local superstars Leap To Fame and The Janitor go at it again.

In a quirk of the field selection process, the two favourites for the $1 million final clash in the third of Saturday night’s heats (race six) at Albion Park in Brisbane. 

Leap To Fame again has an advantage from gate five with The Janitor directly outside him (gate six).

It looks certain trainer-driver Grant Dixon will just keep pushing forward and find the lead on Leap To Fame who is trying to protect his unbeaten record into a third Inter Dominion series.

The all-time great won three heats and final of the 2023 series and then both heats and the final last year.

Significantly, Jason Grimson’s new stable addition Dangerous, who smashed the clock winning an Albion Park trial last week, won’t be a factor earlier because of inside back row draw (gate eight).

The other key runners in the race are Mick Stanley’s classy NSW pacer Ubetcha Tigerpie and the in-form Tasmanian-owned Nyack (seven).

The first pacing heat (race two) gives champion Victorian trainer Emma Stewart a big chance to make an early splash with Oliver Dan and Bay Of Biscay drawn two and three respectively.

Old marvel and recent Group 1 Nullarbor winner Max Delight has the pole, while classy NSW pacer Captains Knock (nine) and another boom Grimson runner Minos (11) come right into the mix.

The second heat (race four) gives Tasmania’s best pacer for the past decade, Triedtotellya, every chance to make a winning start to his first Inter Dominion.

Trained and driven by Rohan Hillier, Triedtotellya boasts fantastic gate speed and looks the leader from the pole.

His main danger is Stewart’s classy sit-sprinter War Dan Buddy, who has the back row (gate nine) in what looks the weakest of the three pacing heats.

Local star Gus has a perfect draw (gate two) to open his assault on the trotting series in the second heat on Saturday night (race five).

He has the gate speed to hold a forward position in a race that will show what he can do should he draw well in the $500,000 final on July 18.

Gus is the class factor of the series and the one-time rogue looks to have matured and peaked at the right time for a series missing champion mare Keayang Zahara.

Veteran Victorian Im Bobby has the early speed to run a great race from the pole, while in-form Victorian Lovemeto has three. Parisian Artiste (five) and Keayang Stuka (eight) are the other major players.

The big watch in the first heat is gifted but injury-plagued mare Susan Is Her Name, who hasn’t raced for 15 months.

She will come from the back row, but trainer Emma Stewart probably won't mind a trailing draw to open her campaign. She is the only trotter to have beaten Keayang Zahara at the races.

Brilliant Victorian mare Rocknwithattitude should lead that heat from gate three, which also has defending Grand Final champion Arcee Phoenix out in gate six.