Big Names A Priority

August 14th, 2008 by Andrew Georgiou

Securing the best of North America's pacing talent for the Watpac Inter Dominion and World Cup is now a priority.

New South Wales Harness Racing Club Chief Executive, John Dumesny, left for the United States last Tuesday on a "flying visit" in an attempt to lure the cream of the crop to Australia.

Dumesny will be speaking to Joe Muscara, Joe Alborano and Myron Bell who are the owners of Mister Big, Artistic Fella and Mr Feelgood respectively.

These three pacers are considered to be at the top of the list of the World Cup organising committee.

Realistically, securing the name of at least one of these three pacers is imperative to the future of the World Cup.

"I'm hopeful of securing at least one of those horses," Dumesny said last Monday.

"It is vital to the World Cup that we secure a big-name American horse and if this cannot be done, then we will revisit the invitation list.

"We will not simply put in any horse from over there - they must fit our criteria.

"The idea of the World Cup is to have the best.... and we want to make every effort to attract the best!"

Dumesny also stressed that these horses weren't just being courted for the World Cup, but for the Watpac Inter Dominion also.

"We must remember that the Watpac Inter Dominion will precede the World Cup," he stated.

"The owners of these horses will have two million dollar events to compete in, not just one."

The World Cup of harness racing will see two representatives from North America, New Zealand and Australia compete against each other at Menangle Park's 'super-track' early next year.

The other two representatives will be chosen from those that competed in the Watpac Inter Dominion series.

List of Leading Aged Horses in North America by Earnings this Season

NAME	STARTS	WINS	PLACINGS	EARNINGS	FASTEST TIME
Artistic Fella	12	5	7	$812,580	1:48.0
Mister Big	7	5	2	$671,500	1:48.1
Special Report	22	7	10	$598,180	1:50.1
Mr Feelgood	20	8	5	$550,850	1:49.0
My Little Dragon	18	7	8	$519,425	1:50.0
Southwind Tempo	13	7	3	$414,598	1:50.2
Buck I St Pat	14	10	3	$411,724	1:52.2
Corleone Kosmos	7	3	3	$379,394	1:52.2
Enough Talk	16	4	8	$377,419	1:52.2
Secrets Nephew	26	10	13	$360,752	1:48.4
American Lane	23	8	9	$324,625	1:53.4
Tidewaterdragonfly	8	4	3	$314,968	1:49.4
Tigerama	19	9	3	$306,699	1:49.3
Won The West	13	3	4	$302,030	1:50.0
Southwind Madonna	19	7	9	$288,522	1:50.2