By MICHAEL GUERIN
MELBOURNE - Calling your boss a liar probably isn't the best way to get ahead in the world but it didn't do Scott Wallis any harm yesterday.
The Interdominions were always going to be the highlight of the Pukekohe junior driver's career so far.
By being the leading junior driver on points in the North Island so far this season Wallis won a spot in the Australasian Junior Drivers championships in Victoria. That meant competing against the best of his age group and driving in the series final in front of 25,000 people on Interdominion Grand Final night.
"This was going to be the biggest trip of my career. I can't tell you how much I was looking forward to it," said Wallis yesterday.
It was going to be big. After a call from boss Dave McGowan yesterday the trip is going to be unbelievable.
McGowan called stable foreman Wallis to offer him the drive of stable trotter Kawarau Invasion in Saturday night's $A500,000 Interdom Trotting Final.
That means a chance to take on the best trotters in Australasia, one of the best from Europe as well as competing against drivers like Tony Herlihy, Gavin Lang, Anthony Butt, Ricky May and Mark and Barry Purdon. In the richest trotting race held in the Southern Hemisphere.
"I told him he was lying," said Wallis.
"I didn't believe it. I mean, just going to Australia to represent the North Island was huge. But to drive in the Interdominion Grand Final, against horses and drivers like that is incredible."
Particularly for the 22-year-old whose previous biggest race drive was in a $25,000 Summer Cup at Alexandra Park as well as some open class trotting races.
It was how he handled those latest assignments that won him his dream drive this weekend.
Wallis joined the McGowan stable several months ago and has been responsible for helping turn around the form of Kawarau Invasion.
"Scott has done exactly what I have told him to do when driving Kawarau and it has helped build the horse's confidence back up," said McGowan.
"He has got him running on in his races again."
Kawarau Invasion won a $A50,000 Interdom heat two weeks ago in the hands of Tony Herlihy and McGowan says that win can be attributed to Wallis as much as Herlihy.
Kawarau Invasion and stablemate Special Force then disappointed in Saturday night's Australasian Trotting Championships.
"Kawarau had a little bit of a cough before the race and I think he is getting better now," said McGowan.
"He is going to need everything to go his way to get some of the money but hopefully Scott can get him away and settle handy on the pegs behind Lyell Creek and he can finish in a place. When the race is worth $A500,000 that is worth aiming for."
But McGowan has virtually given up on Special Force retaining the Interdominion title he won at Alexandra Park last season.
"He will be there and giving it his best on Saturday night but I don't expect him to beat Lyell Creek.
"The way Lyell Creek is racing I think he will win, especially from the handicaps.
"Special Force initially disappointed me last week but I suppose the race was run so fast he probably still trotted his last mile in 1:58 and a bit and still got well beaten. The bad news for us is he will have to do the same again on Saturday."
Lyell Creek's staggering summer form had him quoted a $1.35 favourite in Melbourne yesterday, with French trotter Euro Ringeat at $7 and Mountain Gold a $9.
As for Kawarau Invasion and Scott Wallis, they were rated 33-1 chances yesterday. But for Wallis that is a lot better hope of winning the Interdominion Grand Final than he had two days ago.
Racing: Trip of a lifetime esceeds wildest dreams
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