Lance Justice declared war on his fellow countrymen  in his quest for a piece of the $800,000 prize on offer.

People aren’t shrugging off his statements either with Justice all but assured of taking the early lead in the final with his intimidating mount Smoken Up.

Themightyquinn is the quickest horse in the race but the West Australian doesn’t ahve the barrier or the early speed to take up the running early.

Early speed is something Smoken Up isn’t short on and with  Justice driving it will be aggressive form the word go.

Justice didn’t stop with his verbal crusade either, instead changing his attack to Blacks A Fake which will be the other horse at the eha dof the field.

“I think I can sit outside Blacks A Fake and beat him, in fact I am sure of it,” Justice said.

“I sat outside him in the Miracle Mile and beat him and my horse is going three lengths better now, while I think Natalie’s horse isn’t quite as sharp.

“Don’t get me wrong, we all know Blackie is a champ and if I have to get beat I won’t mind it being by him but I just can’t see it happening.

“I’m not really worried about him at all.”

Despite the bravado, Justice does have the runs on the board with his times this series certainly proving his point.

Blacks A Fake is proven on the big stage though so Smoken Up will need to show a confidence similar to his driver on race night.

He’s even less forgiving for former grand final winner Mr Feelgood, barely acknowledging him as a starter.

“He has never run past me and I don’t think he can do it this week. So I am not worried about him much either.

“If I can sit outside Blacks A Fake and control the speed the question is how close can Themightyquinn get before we have to get going?

“That’s the race as I see it but quite simply my horse has never been better or handled a track better so we are the horse to beat, I’ve got no doubt about that.”

The star of the show at the moment is Victorian Smoken Up which is ready for a clean sweep of the heats in Auckland after finding even more luck in the gate draw.

Trainer-driver Lance Justice was ecstatic after his charger drew spot one for his next Alexandra Park qualifying heat.

“Everything has fallen into the place so far on the trip,” Justice said.

“He handled the travel well, seems to love racing in the opposite direction over here and we’ve drawn well in both heats.

“I couldn’t believe how easily he won and how fantastic he felt last week. There’s no reason he won’t be better again this week.

“We all know the speed he’s got, so I’ll be leading and there’s no reason he shouldn’t win again.”

His major challengers in the race will all start alongside him on the front row with Smiling Shard in two, Power Of Tara in three, Washakie in four and Blacks A Fake in five.

Natalie Rasmussen was satisfied with Blacks A Fake’s draw and said this race will be entirely different to what we saw last week.

“He needed the run last week so I drove him soft, but this week he’s ready to do it tough,” she said.

“He’s a different horse from this time last week.”

In the first of Friday’s pacing heats Mr Feelgood has every chance to win the race after grabbing position one.

His main rival Im Themightyquinn will have it all to do from spot ten.

Another Victorian, Villagem will start from gate two in that race and should qualify after running third to Smoken Up last week.

One of New Zealand’s top hopes Monkey King grabbed position nine setting himself up for the sprint lane on the home turn.

In the trotting heats Sundons Gift is another Australian which can lay claim to having the prime starting spot while stablemate Let Me Thru will need to force his way into the race from a wide gate.

Alexandra Park hasn’t been a happy place for Australian horses in the past but the top four horses in the pacing series markets with online bookmaker Luxbet are all from Australia.

It’s a similar story for the trotters with the Aussie contingent big favourites at the top with two horses.

Annoying the Kiwi’s even more is the fact three of the top six Aussie runners were in fact bred across the ditch in New Zealand.

Themightyquinn, Smoken Up and Sundon’s Gift all left New Zealand’s shores as decent runners but have been transformed into million dollar earners.

Some section of the New Zealand media argue there are some horses such as Christian Cullen and Elsu which could hold off the Aussie invasion but it’s a mute point given they are not there.

Auckland Reactor was shaping as their great hope but he may not even compete after his latest in a long series of issues.

In reality though New Zealand has a heap of horses and a heap of talented ones at that, but the Aussie contingent this year is just bigger, stronger, faster and a hell of a lot tougher.

That’s obvious to see with New Zealand still doing well in age-group races but the harder the racing gets the Aussies seem to be showing a hell of a lot more determination.

Few are more qualified to talk about it than champion New Zealand trainer Barry Purdon who has had plenty of success in Australia.

He says it’s the style of Aussie racing which is producing horses capable of sticking with it at Interdominion class.

“I think the way they race them over there makes them tougher.

“Sure, it goes in cycles but in Australia they are not scared to jump on a plane and head to Perth or put them on a float for 10 hours to go somewhere.

“And when they do race they are not scared to sit parked, like Mr Feelgood in the Auckland Cup.

“I think, eventually, that wears off on the horses and they get used to the hard work and the best ones seem to thrive on it.”

He says the extended seasons for two and three year olds in New zealand is also having a detrimental effect.

“We start earlier than they do in Australia but race too far into the season. I am a great believer in giving horses a decent spell but it is getting harder and harder to do that.

“I love the fact we have the Harness Jewels but it is too late in the season and then you even have some horses go to the Breeders Crown in Australia.

“So many of them burn out. We used to have an entourage of open-class horses, now we struggle to fill the best races. It is manageable but to do that you have to be brave and let your horse miss some big races.”

Purdon himself does have a runner in the Interdominion pacing series, Pembrook Benny which drew barrier one for tonight so is a good chance to work his way into the final on April 8th.

“I was thrilled with his run in the Auckland Cup because he worked early and was a clear third,” Purdon said.

 ”And I’d love to think he could win this series. But if he ended up parked in the final outside a horse like Mr Feelgood or Smoken Up I think I’d close my eyes and pretend it wasn’t happening.”

Nothing is certain in harness racing though and with the final still a good two weeks away Aussies shouldn’t be counting their win just yet.

One thing’s for sure though, it’s going to take a monster effort from any New Zealand horse to develop the courage and intestinal fortitude to match it with any of our best harness racers.

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From gate seven in the unanimously agreed toughest heat he’ll need to work hard if it’s going to notch up a record six appearances in Interdominion grand finals.

His trainer and driver Natalie Rasmussen said her pacer had had an ideal lead up after arriving in Auckland last Thursday.

“I would’ve loved a better draw, but he seems really well and I’m sure he’ll improve a lot on whatever he does this week,” she said.

His major rival in the race is expected to be Auckland Cup and WA Cup winner Themightyquinn.

The top Victorian horse Smoken Up had far more luck and could make the first move of the series.

The Lance Justice trained runner will tsrat form gate six but with questions rising about Auckland Reactor he’s a good chance to take up the lead.

“He handled the trip across really well and the draw is another big plus,” Justice said.

 ”It’s all falling into place, at least at this stage.”

Auckland Reactor is said to only be a 50 percent chance to start the race with a final decision expected from Mark Purdon any minute.

Smoken Up had his chances lifted even further when Mr Feelgood and Villagem drew gates 10 and 11 on the back row.

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Defending champion driver Anthony Butt says one of his greatest foes could become his secret weapon as he defends his Inter Dominion title with Mr Feelgood on Sunday.

Last year’s winners on the Gold Coast heads into the $1 million WATPAC final at Tabcorp Park, Menangle, facing another potentially horror draw at barrier nine.

That is nothing new for Mr Feelgood, who was written off by many after drawing the second line draw last year, only for Butt to produce an inch-perfect drive to deny Blacks A Fake his Interdom fourth title on end.

Butt knows he will need the cards to fall his way on Sunday if he is to repeat last year’s victory but he believes he and Mr Feelgood have allies – in long-time rivals Lance Justice and Smoken Up.

Smoken Up has drawn barrier 10 and like Mr Feelgood may have little option but to retreat at the start of the 2300m event and attack later.

“If Lance does that, and I am thinking he probably will, then we might get a cart into the race on his back,” says Butt.

“And that would be a good place to be. I think there could be a fair bit of speed early, with Washakie eventually holding the lead.

“So there isn’t much point most of us out wide getting involved early when we can make one long move mid-race.

“If that happens then I think the race might be a bit more even then people think and we have a show.”

Butt was thrilled with how Mr Feelgood fought on for second after setting up a track record for Blacks A Fake at Newcastle last Saturday night.

“That is not the ideal way to drive him but I knew I needed points to make the final so we couldn’t afford to be unlucky.

“But he actually fought on really well and he is racing as good now as when he won the final last season.

“We just have to hope for the same type of mid-race pressure.”

Butt rates Monkey King the horse to beat on Sunday but says the gap between the favourites and the outsiders is smaller than many people realise.

“What about a horse like Our Awesome Armbro? He could be doing no work in the trail and that is a huge advantage at this level.

“I think the great thing about this year’s final is the horses are all going in there in form and there won’t be drivers going out there thinking they have no hope.

“So it should be a beauty. While Monkey King is the horse to beat but when you look back to his Miracle Mile win in November he had the perfect run and only just got there.

“That proves how tough it is to win these big races.”

Mr Feelgood has come in for some support at long odds since Monday night’s barrier draw, as has Hunter Cup winner Bondy.

That has seen Monkey King out to $2.50 with TAB Sportsbet while Washakie has drifted from $3.80 to $4.

The final of the $1 million WATPAC Inter Dominion for 2010 will be run at 5pm Sunday March 7.

Last week the preliminary heats were held with the favourites reigning supreme in three of the races, but a few surprise roughies stepping up to fill the minor placings ahead of their higher seeded rivals.

The top 10 pacers at the end of the night will get their chance at the $1million final on Sunday March 7 at Menangle.

ID10 Heat 5:

The first Qualifying heat this Saturday night sees last week’s Heat 1 winner Atomic Arc jump from barrier four. Atomic Ark caused the upset of the preliminary heats when the $25.70 outsider narrowly beat home the $2.50 favourite Changeover by a half neck with I Am Sam ($8.70) in third.

Despite their win last week, the Natalie Rasmussen-trained gelding looks outclassed this week and will need a whole lot of luck to finish in the top two and move on to the final.

Atomic Arc faces some strong competitors including the Barastoc Grand Circuit winner Washakie who ran second to Bondy in heat four last week. Prepared and driven by John McCarthy, Washakie has drawn wide for Saturday’s run starting from barrier ten.

Others to watch in the first heat this week include the Lance Justice-trained Smoken Up, drawn ideally in barrier two and Mark Peace’s Cincinnati Kid.

The talented Smoken Up ran third to Blacks A Fake last week while it was a slightly disappointing finish Cincinnati Kid in the third preliminary heat when they ran a well beaten fifth to Monkey King.

Smoken Up is likely to start as the favourite in the opening heat and his blessed barrier two start should be a breeze in comparison to his inside back row draw last week.

ID10 Heat 6:

Lining up in the nine-horse second Qualifying heat on Saturday night is the stunning winner of heat 4 last week, the David Butt trained and driven Bondy. The Live Or Die gelding has won 22 of his 41 career starts and has displayed impressive recent form winning his past three successive races. The Hunter Cup winner Bondy has drawn ideally in barrier two.

Bondy currently sits second on the ID10 points tally with 15.

Starting on the outside of the sure to be favourite is the Keith Cotchin-trained five-year-old Tanabi Bromac in barrier three. The classy Victorian, currently ranked equal ninth with 10 points, ran a crafty third in their heat last week behind the overall ID10 points’ leader Monkey King, and will be ridden on Saturday by champion reinsman Greg Sugars who replaces Gavin Lang.

Other in-form pacers engaged in the 9:00pm heat include the consistent Changeover in barrier six and Gavin Lang’s Sammy Maguire in barrier four.

ID10 Heat 7:

The third heat this Saturday sees the gifted Monkey King starting from barrier three. Monkey King is currently the highest ranked Inter Dominion contender with 17 points and the odds-on favourite to take out the 2010 series. The Sands A Flyin gelding looks well positioned to lead all the way on Saturday night as his brilliant barrier draw and sensational gate speed should see him hit the front early.

Victorian I Am Sam is also running in the 9:30pm heat and has drawn well in barrier two. The giant Alan Tubbs trained pacer ran third last week behind Atomic Ark and Changeover but faces a tough field this round.

Drawn on the far outside in barrier ten is Karloo Mick while Our Awesome Armbro, a runner-up last week, stands a solid chance after securing barrier one.

ID10 Heat 8:

The final heat at Harold Park this Saturday features another star studded field, headlined by Blacks A Fake. Trainer-driver Natalie Rasmussen will be aboard the Fake Left gelding for the second-round following their success in the second heat last week. Blacks A Fake is seeking their fifth consecutive victory, but has drawn wide with barrier nine.

The other quality runner in the 10:00pm heat is Mr. Feelgood in barrier five, but no matter what the quality of rivals, they will have a hard time defeating the three time Inter Dominion champion Blacks A Fake.

The four second round Heats for the 2010 Inter Dominion are scheduled as races four (8:30pm), five (9:00pm), six (9:30pm) and seven (10:00pm) on Saturday night’s bumper nine-race programme.

WATPAC 2010 Inter Dominion Championship Qualifying Heat 5:

WATPAC 2010 Inter Dominion Championship Qualifying Heat 6:

WATPAC 2010 Inter Dominion Championship Qualifying Heat 7:

WATPAC 2010 Inter Dominion Championship Qualifying Heat 8:

Four $40, 000 heats for the prestigious series will run and feature star-studded fields packed full of the nation’s most impressive and elite pacers.

All the big names will be there with Heat 1 looking to be the event of the night featuring I Am Sam drawn well in barrier one; the super consistent Karloo Mick in barrier three; in-form pacer Changeover in barrier six aiming for their fourth win from six starts; and the brilliant American-bred colt Mr Feelgood out wide in gate ten.

The second heat will be another hotly contested affair with the Natalie Rasmussen trained and driven star Blacks A Fake in barrier four coming off three successive wins; the Gavin Lang’s classy Sammy Maguire in barrier seven; and the prolific Lance Justice trained Smoken Up in the back row barrier eight.

Heat three sees the fantastic New Zealand pacer Monkey King (br.4) come up against the likes of Cincinnati Kid (br.5) and Tanabi Bromac (br.6) in a top class front row full of in-form runners in for a real chance not only in this heat but the series overall.

Finishing off with Heat 4, punters have another thrilling matchup on their hands with John McCarthy’s Washakie in barrier seven, the consistently good Bondy drawn well in barrier two and other great pacers including Western Cam in barrier five fighting it out to qualify for the next round.

The 2010 Watpac Inter Dominion Championship heats will run as races 4 – 7 on the meeting’s fantastic nine race programme and will commence at 8:00pm (NSW time).

Run over a testing 3065m this coveted standing start event has a capacity field of 14 elite pacers set to line up on the night and includes an abundance of big name players such as Mr Feelgood, Smoken Up, I Am Sam and Karloo Mick.

Trained and driven by Lance Justice, Smoken Up is one of the most experienced and formidable pacers in the final. The Tinted Cloud gelding is looking to return to winning form after three successive second placings but has been allocated a disappointing second-line draw with barrier 10.

The closest Smoken Up has come to a Hunter Cup victory was as runner-up by a mere half-head to Blacks A Fake two years back in 2008.

Victoria Cup victor Bettors Strike, despite drawing poorly with barrier 13, has been installed as the odds-on favourite for the race. Smoken Up occupies the next line of betting.

I Am Sam was runner up in the Hunter Cup last year and has drawn well with barrier four for this year.

But the big winner in the barrier draw was the Barry Lew-trained Karloo Mick, allocated the cherished barrier one.

Three of the best in-form pacers have all drawn poorly in the final. The John McCarthy-trained WA Pacing Cup winner Washakie is seeking out their fourth consecutive win but has a lot of work to do from barrier 14.

Mr Feelgood has suffered the most in the barrier allocations, drawing the far outside barrier 15.

Smart Victorian pacer Tanabi Bromack, trained by Keith Cotchin, is another last start winner who will race off the second row in the Hunter Cup.

Winner of the Shepparton Gold Cup last month and more recently victorious in the Horsham Pacing Cup, which earned them exemption for the Hunter Cup, Tanabi Bromack has drawn barrier 11.

Two other Group pacing events also highlight the cracker 10-race programme the $30 000 Group 3 4YO Bonanza (Race 2) followed by the other big one, the $200 000 Group 1 Alabar Victoria Derby Final (Race 6).

The BIG6 Hunter Cup will run at 9:30pm (VIC time) as race eight.

2010 BIG6 Hunter Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw:

Going out at generous odds of $12.70, the winning In The Pocket colt beat home the warm favourite, Mr Feelgood ($3.20) by 1.2m with Karloo Mick ($5.40) finishing just a neck back in third.

It was a gallant run for the highly fancied Mr Feelgood as he worked hard to overcome his wide draw.

Pacesetter and eventual fourth placegetter, the Geoff Webster-trained Mister Zion, showed great gate speed and led most the way. Still in the lead at the bell by over a meter, Mister Zion driven by Luke McCarthy put in a fantastic effort on the home straight but tiered in the final metres with New South Wales pacer Karloo Mick close on his heels.

Driven by trainer Mark Peace, Cincinnati Kid then got the run on the inside after sitting off the speed and behind the leaders in the early stages, to hit the lead and take home his first Group 1 victory and maiden Barastoc Grand Circuit win.

Cincinnati Kid ran a sharp mile rate of 1:59.8 after a blistering 27.8s final quarter.

Karloo Mick’s driver Greg Bennet lodged a small protest against Anthony Butt, the reinsman behind Mr. Feelgood, over suspected interference in the final few metres, but the protest was upheld.

It was Mark Peace’s second Ballarat Cup following his success back in 1994 with Dark Paul.

The win was Cincinnati Kid’s 22^nd victory from a prolific 98-race career and the $80 000 first prize boosted his total prizemoney earned to $406 595.

2010 Ballarat Pacing Cup Results:

12 elite pacers are ready to fight it out for the prestigious title, including the Geoff Webster-trained champion Mister Zion.

Due to be driven by Luke McCarthy on Saturday, Mister Zion has drawn superbly in barrier one from where the promising pacer can make the most of his great gate speed.

Coming off three successive victories including his win in the Group 1 South Australian Pacing Cup last start, the in-form Red River Hanover gelding will be sure to play a big role in this race and is possibly Webster’s best chance of winning back-to-back Ballarat Cups.

Webster also has gifted four-year-old Tear It All Away engaged in the feature, starting from barrier five, and the defending Ballarat Cup champion Mister Swinger, who he will be driving in barrier 11.

The star studded field also comprises of the brilliant previous winner of the Hunter Cup and the Inter Dominion Mr Feelgood, and last start-winner Sammy Maguire.

The Gavin Lang-trained Sammy Maguire has been stunningly consistent and claimed an impressive victory in the Group 2 Bendigo Pacing Cup last Saturday ahead of Mr Feelgood.

The two will face off again in the Ballarat Cup, Mr Feelgood having the disadvantage of drawing wide with barrier 12 while five-year-old Sammy Maguire has drawn ideally in barrier three.

The most experienced pacer is the John McCarthy trained and driven Be Good Johnny, starting in barrier seven.

The Ballarat Cup, which is also the next leg in the Barastoc Grand Circuit, is scheduled as race seven on the night’s great nine-event card and is due to jump at 10:00pm (VIC time).

The other highlight harness events at the Ballarat meeting will be races three and six, the two semi-finals of the SEW-Eurodrive Inter Dominion Trotting Championship.

2010 Ballarat Pacing Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw: