Having already clinched the World Driving Championship, it was only fitting that New Zealand's Dexter Dunn would win the final heat (Heat 20) of the competition Dunn took a victory lap as he won the 2,400 meter finale with Global View in 2:49.1 (mile rate 1:53.4) by racing second over on the outside a good part of the race, only to pull out in the stretch and cruise by the leader.
After a sharp start to the series, Tim Tetrick ran into a little hard luck but still finished a respectable third in the series while Canada's Jody Jamieson rounded out the top five in fifth place. The final standings for the series were: Dexter Dunn (200), Tony Le Beller (146), Tim Tetrick (142), Mika Forss (139), Jody Jamieson (132), Knud Monster (122), Chris Alford and Pierre Vercryusse tied (119), Guillermo Adrover (101), Vidar Hop (100)
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But the WDC was really a minor event on the Menangle card today as there were other races of note to contest. In the second race, female drivers had a chance to strut their stuff in the Lexus International Lady Drivers Invitational (Grade 2) contested at the mile distance and Natalie Rasmussen, renowned for her efforts with the retired New Zealand sensation Smoken Up, won the tilt with a bold challenge before the half and then wearing down the leader in the stretch. The winning time was 1:50.7.
Less anyone think women can only race against themselves, Rasmussen won the next two races against the men including the Ladyship Mile (Group 1), Rassmussen set a world record for pacing mares when she won with Adore Me NZ in a eye-popping 1:47.4 putting over 18 meters between herself and the rest of the field at the wire. What makes the mile even more special was the fact she was hooked up in most of the race in a speed duel, working through fractions of :27.1, :54, 1:21.2, 1:47.4. Tim Tetrick, driving Latteron finished third.
But the big event of the day was $750,000(AUS), Inter Dominion Pacing Championship (a Grade 1 Grand Circuit event) and an overflow field of fourteen FFA pacers took the the course to transverse the 3,009 meter course (approximately 1 7/8 miles). When the race was over it was Australia's victory as Beautide, trained and driven by James Rattary stopped the teletimer at 3:36.6 (1:55.8 mile rate) made it two-in-a-row Inter Dominion Championships for the 7 year old son of Bettors Delight.
Beautide did it the hard way by racing on the outside, uncovered the entire race, but when they entered the stretch he took off destroying the field to win easily with daylight (officially reported as a winning margin of 13.9 meters). Finishing second was Flaming Flutter NZ with For A Reason finishing third.
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