Natalie Rasmussen can’t split her pacers for Inter Dominion final

[Glasgow]

Natalie Rasmussen won’t be rushed into making the biggest decision of this Inter Dominion.

Rasmussen co-trains and drives the two favourites and stars of the qualifying heats, Cruz Bromac and Spankem.

TAB has them at the top of the market with Cruz Bromac $4 into $3.40 after completing a clean sweep of the heats at Cranbourne last night. Spankem also won easily and $4.20 second elect.

“I’d like to wait as long as possible to make my decision, but it’ll probably be after I see where they draw (on Monday) and then jog them both Tuesday morning,” Rasmussen said.

“It’s such a hard call. They are both racing so well and absolutely thriving through the series.

“They both won really easily (last night). I didn’t even pull the (ear) plugs on Cruz Bromac.

“Little Spankem is doing so well, probably too well, during the series. He’s put on at least 5kgs during the series. I had to jog him the morning of the Ballarat heats, then I had to gallop him this morning (Saturday).”

Rasmussen’s partner, Mark Purdon, who has won the past two Inter Dominion finals on Smolda (2016) and Lazarus (last year), will drive whichever Rasmussen opts not to partner.

Rasmussen has a proud Inter Dominion driving record to protect. She’s driven in six finals, all on her former champion Blacks A Fake, for four wins and two seconds.

Champion local driver Gavin Lang still believes he can upset the Rasmussen pair with another Kiwi, Im Pats Delight.

“Swap the runs (last night) and Cruz Bromac wouldn’t have beaten me. Looking at this horse and driving him through the heats, he’s getting better all the time,” he said.

The major Aussie hopes rest with warhorse Tiger Tara, who broke through for his first heat win of the series, albeit it narrowly, at Cranbourne.

“Sure I’d like him to have won a little more easily and he was all-out on the line, but I actually think he needed the run after two very soft heat runs by his standards so far,” driver Todd McCarthy said.

Tiger Tara is TAB’s third favourite for the final at $4.60.

The jury is out on highly-rated locals San Carlo and Wrappers Delight.

San Carlo went winless through the heats, but was a brave third after doing the work outside Tiger Tara last night.

Wrappers Delight won his Ballarat heat, but had a cosy run and didn’t run on at all well, raising doubts about where he’s at for the final.

WA raider GalactIc Star remains a hope in the final after a win and two excellent heat placings, but he will need a gun draw to test the major players next Saturday.

In the trotting series, the gap appears to be getting wider between local star Tornado Valley and his rivals.

Tornado Valley made it three wins from as many heats and looked far more impressive than his major final rival, Kiwi star Speeding Spur.

TAB firmed Tornado Valley from $2 into $1.60 with Speeding Spur an easing