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It's an arduous road to winning the Inter Dominion - three heats over different distances within eight days, highlighting the toughness of the breed. After Friday night's first round at Gloucester Park (the track you often see when watching TV coverage of cricket matches at the WACA), the second round moves to Bunbury for the mile races. Our regular analyst, Trent Orwin, @themightytrent3 , travels down the highway to preview the meeting. -------------------------------- Inter Dominion Heat Previews Form analyst: Trent Orwin Website: BettingPro Twitter: @themightytrent3 The first round of qualifying heats was entertaining and the second should be equally-impressive over the mile at Bunbury. Tuesday will also see a new track record holder as the 1:54.1 mark set by Lincoln Beach Girl in 2011 could fall by a couple of seconds. I will analyse the chances of each runner per heat while listing the biggest odds on offer at the time of writing along with the bookmaker that is

Completing the trio of races from this week's new contributor John Ring from Rebel Racing, @tips_ROI , is the Drinmore Novices Chase, the only one of the four features without an odds-on favourite. ------------------------- Bar One Racing Drinmore Novices Chase Grade 1, 2m4f, €85,000 1440 local, 0140 AEDST No More Heroes makes the market here and probably rightly so as he appears to be the class act of the field. An unlucky third in last year’s Albert Bartlett after a far from ideal preparation, he looks a Grade 1 chase winner in waiting. My only issue is his price and the trip. A strong stayer, who admittedly is far from slow, he looks an RSA type and despite the heavy ground being a plus for him in terms of a test he could find this plenty sharp enough. He’s 6/5 despite only proving he could jump at a crawl in his Beginners Chase win, and being honest he was a bit high at a few fences for my liking. He won’t get away with wasting time in the air here. All in all he’s ple

It's a small field in the G1 Novice Hurdle but it still has to be won. Is the odds-on favourite a good thing? Let's ask first-time correspondent John Ring from Rebel Racing, @ tips_ROI . --------------------------- Royal Bond Novice Hurdle Grade 1, 2m, €85,000 1310 local 0010 AEDST I have a very strong opinion here and it contrasts sharply to that of one Ruby Walsh. Bachasson is a stand out price here at around 7/2. A slightly small type he showed up well in the summer concluding in a Grade 3 Novice Hurdle win at Tipperary. Whilst that might not seem great form, the horse he beat on that occasion Three Stars has since gone on to win a Grade 2 Novice Hurdle at Navan. Purely on a straight line through Three Stars, many will fancy Long Dog who beat Three Stars 10 lengths when they met. However Three Stars has progressed nearly a stone with every run and there can be no doubt he was a much improved horse when taking on Bachasson at Tipperary. Deemed better on soft grou

The action at Fairyhouse continues, with the Hatton's Grace Hurdle. Taking on Sunday's trio of Grade 1s is blog debutant, the astute John Ring from Rebel Racing, @tips_ROI . ----------------------- Bar One Hatton’s Grace Hurdle Grade 1, 2m4f, €85,000 1340 local, 0240 AEDST Unfortunately a Grade 2 in all but name here but we get to see one of the most underrated horses in training in the form of Arctic Fire . Second in the Champion Hurdle last year, admittedly seemingly suited by the slowly run race, he is undoubtedly the class act in the field. He made a more than satisfactory return at Navan recently when beating the talented Monksland despite every possible thing that could go wrong going wrong. Held up off a slow pace, Ruby was slow to get after him when they quickened and he seemed at sea for a moment before storming up the rising ground to head the game Monksland (given a great ride) near the post. There can be no doubting he is the class act of this field on paper

A great card of National Hunt racing at Fairyhouse on Sunday with several of the feature races to be covered. First up, it's regular contributor, the astute Dave Stephens, @davestevos , to cover the juvenile feature which opens the card. ---------------------------- BAR ONE RACING JUVENILE HURDLE SUNDAY 12.40 FAIRYHOUSE (Grade 3) (3yo) (2M) €30,000 Sunday is a big day at Fairyhouse with the Drinmore and Hatton's Grace the main attractions. They should be two fascinating Grade 1 contests but there could also be some festival clues to be found in the day's opener, a Grade 3 Juvenile hurdle that has been won by useful sorts like Anafilet and the ill fated Our Conor in recent years. Willie Mullins has won it the last two years in a row but he has no runner this time around. The last seven favourites have won and the biggest priced winner in the last decade was 5/1. It looks a more open heat this season and there are a quite a few interesting runners in the field. You c

The jewel of northern National Hunt racing is the Fighting Fifth Hurdle. And for the first time in years, the track might not be on the swamp side of heavy! Time to welcome back northern racing expert Mark Rowntree, @uptheirons007 . And you can read more of his work on his blog . --------------------------- Stanjames.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle Grade 1 £105,000 2m 98y 1405 local 0105 AEDST The weather gods have shined on Newcastle for once with the Grade 1 2015 Fighting Fifth Hurdle set to be the most enthralling renewal for a number of years. The 'A-Listers' Paul Nicholls, Nicky Henderson and Willie Mullins are all represented in a race which has attracted a field of seven. Ground conditions will be soft, but a strong covering of grass and the lure of a racecourse which hasn't witnessed National Hunt racing since March has proved a strong one. Last year’s winner Irving forms the most logical starting point. A return to Tyneside was initially on the agenda follow

The toughness of the standardbred is one of the best advertisements of the breed, none of this four starts in a season and then off to stud primadonna stuff of the galloping world. The rejuvenated Inter Dominion series is a time-honoured battle between Aussie and Kiwi pacers and consists of heats and a lucrative final. This year it's over in the west, so I've recruited the Gloucester Park specialist, Trent Orwin, @themightytrent3 , to do the form. ----------------------------------------- Inter Dominion Heat Previews Form analyst : Trent Orwin Website : BettingPro Twitter : @themightytrent3 The most prestigious harness racing event on the calendar is upon us with the first of three rounds of qualifying heats. I will analyse the chances of each runner per heat while listing the biggest odds on offer at the time of writing along with the bookmaker that is offering those odds. Series best bet: Lennytheshark Series best value: Mach Beauty Race 4 – INTER DOMINION HEAT

The four-day Flemington carnival closes with my favourite race of the week (indelibly linked to the pocket), the Emirates Stakes. The handicap metric mile is always a cracking race, and there's a great mix of formlines to decipher again this year; the new Aussie star at the mile, three internationals with one local run behind them, the Kiwi gun who sets a sizzling pace, the ex-WA star and several more you shouldn't underestimate (roughies have a strong record in this race - just four winners under $10 since 2000, and only eight since 1983). After so much rain on Thursday and three days of racing, who knows what the track is going to do. Time to take in the advice of the sharp guys at Premium Racing Services , @PremiumRacingS , and look at the forecast. ------------------------------ Emirates Stakes Group 1, 1600m AU$1 million 1620 local time, 0520 GMT Form guide PRS Speed Map Is certain to be genuinely run with five to six horses wanting on pace positions. Like

And to complete the set of Cup previews, it's over to regular Aussie feature race contributors, Premium Racing Services , @PremiumRacingS . -------------------- Race 7 - 3:00PM G1 Melbourne Cup (3200 METRES) Historical Factors These factors are considered annually in this race, and do include the internationals: • Personal best career run in their prior race • Abbreviated autumn campaign of three races or less • 5th up • Have had to have run a race this campaign in Australia • Progressing into the race - form is on a gradual rise PRS Speed Map As any speed map with two dozen horses present it does look busy on paper, with Big Orange the one likely to push on and try to lead. Prince Of Penzance then has the opportunity if desired like his last start to be in the early battle. Snow Sky will be in the first few also. Am unsure whether Gust Of Wind’s connections intend on pushing forward also like in Caulfield Cup last time. As like every cup there will be horses trapp

After Davy Lane, @LosCharruas , declared Protectionist an absolute moral last year, then it's only fair he gets another go again this year! The Melbourne Cup through the eyes of a devoted believer... 1. Don't believe the prevailing narrative that he was bought to go hurdling in Ireland. 2. Max Dynamite is of imperious Japanese and German stock. He is by Japanese sire, Great Journey (out of the great Sunday Silence) and his dam is by Monsun (sire of last year’s winner, Protectionist). This is a Normandie bred French GROUP 1 Classic contender, masquerading as an Irish hurdler. 3. Dettori (who is close to Willie Mullins) rode Max Dynamite in the 2013 Prix Niel, Arc prep. race. He lost to the Japanese Derby winner, Kizuna, and English Derby winner, Ruler of the World, in a bunch finish. He was soon acquired by Ricci for Mullins and next up romped home in a 2 Mile hurdle race under Ruby Walsh. My hunch is that Dettori (who is on the record as saying the Melbourne is th

The great race, the greatest week of the year, it all comes down to this. For the most comprehensive preview of the race you'll find anywhere with videos, stats and price trends, check out Andrew Hawkins' blog . It's what I'd like to have done but he beat me to the punch and actually pulled it off. So instead, you have this below from me... ----------------------------- Emirates Melbourne Cup 3200m Group 1 Handicap AUD 6,000,000 1500 local time, 0400 GMT Form guide Odds Comparison Saturday's meeting threw an absolute spanner in the works with the rail being the only place to be in the straight. For Tuesday, it has been moved out two metres, but further than 10m out, the track is rated Soft 6, while the inside section is rated Good 4. Not much rain expected, one or two millimetres at most. That rail position and the lanes make this very tough to decipher - and I hate betting overnight on a race when you need to see the earlier races to determine an