Teenage driver to compete in $1 million Inter Dominion final
Teenage driver Jye Coney is set to compete in the Ladbrokes Inter Dominion final at Albion Park on Saturday, driving Dangerous for trainer Jason Grimson. This opportunity marks a significant moment in Coney’s harness racing career, following a year of notable achievements.
Grimson has maintained his loyalty to Coney, who previously drove Captains Mistress for him. Coney expressed excitement about the confirmation of his drive, acknowledging the owners and Grimson for their support. He noted that while he moved to Sydney for better opportunities, he did not anticipate such a major race.
Grimson’s Inter Dominion Trio
Dangerous is one of three horses Grimson will have in the Inter Dominion final. The other two are Captains Mistress, driven by Cam Hart, and Minos, which Grimson himself will drive. Dangerous, who secured a second-round heat victory, is currently listed as the fourth favourite in the betting.
The final is largely focused on defending champion Leap To Fame and Captains Mistress. Leap To Fame is positioned with gate 11, while Captains Mistress starts from gate six. Coney’s drive on Dangerous will place him in opposition to Captains Mistress, a horse he previously partnered with.
Grimson highlighted Dangerous’s potential, despite the horse being considered his third choice in betting. He noted that Dangerous’s track work indicates strong form, which was evident in his recent heat win. Grimson also stated that the starting draw for Dangerous is not a concern, expecting the horse to settle well and be competitive if the race unfolds at a strong pace.
Leap To Fame’s Challenge
While Leap To Fame is a strong contender, statistics suggest a challenging task for the champion Queenslander to secure a third Ladbrokes Inter Dominion final victory. It is anticipated that Leap To Fame will spend a significant portion of the race working outside the leader, a role likely to be filled by Captains Mistress.
This scenario differs from Leap To Fame’s previous Inter Dominion wins in 2023 and 2025 at Albion Park, where the horse managed to take the lead. Historical data from the past five Inter Dominion pacing final winners indicates that horses racing on the inside, either leading or sitting behind the leader, have been successful.
For example, Don Hugo led with a lap remaining in the 2024 Menangle final. In 2021, Jason Grimson‘s Boncel Benjamin won the final at Menangle after sitting behind the leader, Expensive Ego, though this win was confirmed after a protest. A year later at Melton, another Grimson-trained horse, I Cast No Shadow, also won from a position behind the leader, Act Now.
Analysis by Harness Racing Australia‘s Toby McKinnon revealed statistics concerning Leap To Fame’s performance in races over 2600m or longer where the horse did not take the lead. In four such races over the past 12 months, Leap To Fame did not win, finishing second in each instance. These races included the NZ Cup in November, the Blacks A Fake in December, the Shepparton Cup in January, and the Hunter Cup in February.
However, Leap To Fame has also achieved significant victories when racing parked outside the leader, including two Cambridge slot races and its first Miracle Mile in 2024. The horse also boasts a strong record at Albion Park, having won 30 of its last 31 starts at the venue since November 4, 2023. The sole defeat during this period was in the Blacks A Fake race last December, where it was narrowly beaten by Don Hugo.
Coney’s journey to the Inter Dominion final follows his drive in the Miracle Mile and achieving his 300th career winner. The Ladbrokes Inter Dominion final is scheduled for Saturday night.
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Source: harnesslink.com
