James MacDonald and the Miller family take Perth by storm for International Driving and Inter Dominion Series events

by Alan Parker

After the first two heats of the International Invitation Drivers Series at Gloucester Park the contest is too close to call with a three-way tie for top spot between Victorians Greg Sugars and Chris Alford and Western Australian Gary Hall Jnr as they have 21 points. Sponsored by Sky Racing and Slater Gartrell Sports, the final two heats will be held at Gloucester Park on Inter Dominion Grand final night Friday (Dec. 8).

Visiting North American reinsmen James MacDonald and Marcus Miller found it hard to leave each other’s side finishing sixth and seventh in the opening heat and 11th and 12th in the second heat and both finished on eight points at the half-way point.

James MacDonald along with Hannah and Marcus Miller are in Perth, Australia to compete in their respective International Drivers Series events.

Neither driver had any luck in the ballot for horses in the opening two races and both are hoping for a better opportunity to display their talents on Inter Dominion Grand final night.

“It was a great experience and the racing is extremely tight and a buzz driving in front of such a big crowd,” MacDonald said.

There were in excess of 8,000 fans on track on Friday night and more are expected this week for the $1.1 million Inter Dominion Grand final.

MacDonald, the current World Champion, finished seventh on the $6.00 chance Your Excused in the opening heat and 11th on the $37.50 chance A Boy Named Rosie in the second heat.

Miller, who finished third in the recent World Championships, was sixth on the $92.60 chance Ona Happy Note in the first heat while his drive Extreme Prince at $98.30 suffered an atrial fibrillation in the second heat.

Both MacDonald and Miller were active participants at the traditional Inter Dominion Calcutta held on Sunday as part of the Barrier Draw function for the 2017 Inter Dominion.

MacDonald paid $1,800 to purchase pole marker Tiger Tara as his runner while Miller teamed with his father Erv to outlay $2,550 for second favorite Chicago Bull.

Miller’s sister Hannah is also in Perth and she will be one of 10 women drivers taking part in a special Lady Drivers Challenge Race which will feature the world’s leading female driver Kerryn Manning, who has driven more than 3700 winners and beaten the men, to win five Australian Drivers Premierships.

The special race is being sponsored by Retravision and with the support of Racing and Wagering Western Australia it will be the 11th race on an amazing card of harness racing featuring four Group One events including the $1.1 million TABtouch Inter Dominion final.

The 10 competing drivers have won some 5375 races between them.

Hannah Miller was the USA’s National Amateur Driver Award winner in 2015 and 2016 and represented the USA in the World Amateur Driving titles in Hungary in 2016 where she finished runner-up.

International Drivers Challenge Points Tally after opening night

Harness Racing greats meet in Perth

Western Australian Racing Industry Hall of Fame Inductee Fred Kersley met celebrated American trainer Erv Miller at yesterday’s barrier draw function for the 2017 TABtouch Inter Dominion final.

Photos courtesy of Alan Parker

Erv Miller and Fred Kersley pose for the camera at the Inter Dominion final barrier draw.

Born on Dec. 11 1966 in the Amish community of Arthur in Illinois, Miller has put together a remarkable record as a trainer and since the United States Trotting Association (USTA) began keeping training records in 1992 Erv Miller has trained 5,100 winners of some $78,691,123 in stakes.

Those figures place Miller in fourth place on the money won list of American trainers and third on the list of leading trainers by number of races won.

By way of comparison Western Australia’s leading trainer, in terms of career wins, Gary Hall Snr has trained the winners of some 2,446 races and $33,619,313 in the same period.

Fred Kersley trained 2,285 winners including 1,565 in Perth, where he was a 14-time Premiership Trainer, before switching to Thoroughbreds where he gained fame as the trainer of the legendary Perth galloper Northerly.

Northerly won 19 of his 37 career starts and stakes of $9,341,850 including nine Group One wins in the Cox Plate (2), Australian Cup (2), Underwood Stakes (2), Caulfield Cup, Yalumba Stakes and Railway Stakes.

In 2004, Miller was honored by the Illinois Harness Horseman’s Association with its Person of the Year Award and in 2005 Miller was presented with the Brian Pinske Memorial Award for his achievements on the Grand Circuit.

That same year, 2005, Miller won the Glen Garnsey Trainer of the Year Award from the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA) and the Delvin Miller Trainer of the Year Award from the Grand Circuit.

Among the better horses that Miller has trained are the 2010 2-year-old Breeders Crown trotting champion colt Manofmanymissions, three-time Dan Patch Award pacing winner Loyal Opposition (56 wins in 98 starts and $2,861,294) and the unbeaten 2-year-old pacing filly Incredible Tillie (12 wins from 12 starts as a 2-year-old for $512,782).

Miller also trained Lis Mara, Shark Gesture and Shadyshark Hanover and that trio of stallions are currently standing at stud in either New Zealand or Australia.

Miller and his son Marcus like the chances of Western Australia’s champion Chicago Bull in the Inter Dominion Final and at yesterday’s function they followed their opinion by paying second top price of $2,550 for Chicago Bull in the Inter Dominion Calcutta.