INTER DOMINION ROYALTY
Royal Dan steps up in the Group 1 $150,000 INTER DOMINION TROTTERS FINAL, 2300m, at Menangle on Saturday (December 14) for the biggest assignment of his career.
He starts out of barrier 10 - two off the pegs inside the second row - for Sydney trainer Jason Grimson and reinsman Jack Callaghan.
Living up to his name, Royal Dan hails from trotting royalty in more ways than one.
The 4yo was bred by Yabby Dam Farms and carries the stamp of French stallion Orlando Vici - the sire of champion and all-time great Just Believe, which is also a product of the YDF breeding program.
Royal Dan has the opportunity of giving Orlando Vici - the sire of 27 Australian-bred winners from 27 starters - the rare distinction of producing three consecutive Inter Dominion champions after the back-to-back successes off Just Believe.
On his maternal side, Royal Dan is out Majestic Son mare Royal Treat, a granddaughter of all-time great mare La Coocaracha, which has a great record on the racetrack and in the breeding barn.
Now retired as a broodmare, La Coocaracha (Safely Kept US) won 23 of 36 starts for $428,911 from 2000 to 2004.
She won five group 1s - the Vicbred Super Series 4yo, Bill Collins Mile, Australian Trotting Grand Prix, South Australian Trotters Cup and Australasian Trotters Championship.
Despite this outstanding record, her impact as a dam has been even more profound.
She left 10 winners, but that has been just the start with daughters and granddaughters producing winners, as well as son Louey Louey Louey from limited opportunities at stud.
La Coocaracha’s influence on the Inter Dominion final goes beyond Royal Dan too, with her last foal and potentially her best The Locomotive favourite to take out the championship.
Royal Dan, which went through the sale ring at the 2020 Australian Premier Trotting Sale, goes into the final after an even series.
The winner of 11 of 24 starts, he started his ID campaign with a third after making up a lot of ground late on the pegs at Newcastle and then had a fourth at Bathurst and fifth at Menangle.
This will be a great way to cap off of a big season for him, with him going to the final with nine wins in 18 starts for a best time of 1:52.1.
