KEY POINTS:
Cambridge is one of the big winners from the decision to proceed with this season's Interdominion series.
The series was in jeopardy because of the equine influenza outbreak in Australia which had host state Victoria under severe pressure from sponsors and other states concerned their best horses may not contest the series.
But a meeting of the board of Harness Racing Victoria has decided to press ahead with the series with a few minor alterations and will submit that plan to the Australian Harness Racing Council today.
The biggest change is the reduction in stake for the pacing final, which was to have been A$1 million ($1.2 million) but is reduced to $750,000 because of financial pressure on Australian harness racing caused by turnover lost because of EI.
The trotters' stakes will remain at A$250,000 while HRV has voted to keep the new format for the series, which sees one round of heats on February 16, followed by two semifinals a week later and the finals on March 1.
The semifinals will be made up of horses who qualify through the heats as well as winners of selected races throughout the season.
And that is where Cambridge has become an unlikely beneficiary.
Four of the qualifying races for the semis, including the Miracle Mile, have been either postponed or cancelled.
So HRV has named three new qualifying races - the Cranbourne and Bendigo Cups in December and the Flying Mile at Cambridge on January 4.
That means whoever wins the Cambridge sprint will be automatically qualified for the semifinal in Melbourne on February 23 and will only need to run in the first five there to be in the final.
The same applies to the New Zealand Cup and Free-For-All.
The change will ensure a far stronger field for the Cambridge Flying Mile than usual, but more importantly, the saving of the series is a huge win for the entire harness racing industry.
After some initial fears it would be abandoned this season and the entire Interdominion roster put back a season, common sense prevailed after pressure from clearer-thinking industry leaders.
To cancel the series when EI has not reached Victoria would have sent a sign of industry weakness when thoroughbred racing is still conducting its huge spring carnival without horses from Queensland and New South Wales.
The move was naturally welcomed by leading harness racing trainers across Australasia, capping a great week for Tim Butt: "We are aiming five horses at least at the series.
"While EI is terrible you still have to hold the best races if you can. If you cancel them, nobody wins."
HRV officials are now in talks with Australian biosecurity officials to ascertain whether a small number of leading pacers from Queensland and New South Wales can be quarantined and then let into Victoria to race.
That number would include two-time winner Blacks A Fake, who has already contracted and recovered from equine influenza, Be Good Johnny and Divisive.
