Valuable step towards Inter Dominion redemption

A VALUABLE step towards Inter Dominion redemption was made at Club Menangle tonight.

First-up from a short break, Expensive Ego proved too slick for his rivals as he cruised to victory over 2300 metres.

Rating 1:55.4 as Perfect Stride and Bundoran filled the placings, Expensive Ego's success is the ideal way to kick-start his official Inter Dominion campaign according to trainer Belinda McCarthy.

First past the finish line in last season's Final, Expensive Ego became the only pacer to lose the title on protest in the Championship's 85-year history after stewards upheld a protest from the connections of the runner-up Boncel Benjamin.

Two pacers - Junior's Image and Smoken Up - have been stripped of their Inter Dominion wins after returning positive swabs.

With the Melbourne-based edition scheduled to begin with heats in Ballarat on November 26, Expensive Ego gave every indication he is ready for the task ahead.

"He was given a freshen-up after the Victoria Cup last month and the time off has done him the world of good," McCarthy said.

"There are free-for-alls here for the next couple of weeks and I will see how he comes through tonight's run before deciding which one, if any, he will go in before the Inter Dominion starts."

Expensive Ego is ranked 20th for the upcoming series, with Boncel Benjamin, which has only run one placing from 10 starts this season, the top pacer as the defending champion.