Monkey King has firmed to $2.50 favourite on the New Zealand TAB for the $1 million Interdominion Grand Final at Menangle on Sunday, March 7, after his win on Friday night.
Monkey King, who opened at $5, ran the fastest last 400m of the night in 26.7.
His Brendon Hill-trained stablemate Baileys Dream had his price reduced from $21 to $10 after his fighting third to Bondy and Washakie.
Blacks A Fake, Bondy and Changeover are on the second line of betting at $7.
Smoken Up and Washakie are at $9, Mr Feelgood is at $13 and Our Awesome Armbro is at $26.
The rest are $31 or more.
Under the 2008 format an extra point is allowed for horses entering the series who win grand circuit races the previous season and to the reigning grand circuit and Interdominion winner.
Points carried into the series were: Monkey (3); Washakie (2), Mr Feelgood and Blacks A Fake (1.5) and Bondy and Cincinnati Kid (1).
Points after the first round of heats (final field of 10): 17, Monkey King; 15.5, Blacks A Fake; 15 Atomic Ark, Bondy; 14, Washakie; 12, Changeover, Hava Bon Voyage, Our Awesome Armbro; 10, Baileys Dream, I Am Sam, Smoken Up, Tanabi Bromac; 9.5 Me Feelgood; 8 Few Good Men, Pacific Charm, Sammy Maguire; 7, Cincinnati Kid; 6, Karloo Mick, Pembrook Benny, Prince Benji; 5, Be Good Johnny, Our Malabar, The Gunstar, Western Cam; 4, Magic Operative, Mystical Warrior, Ohoka Utah, Virage; 3, Boris Badenov, Game Safin, Karlsruhe, Panorama Swing; 2, Baltic Ice, Cant Bluff Me, Cullens Legacy, Fox Valley Appeal; 1, Genuwine, Notaswethort, Tee Pee Village.
The second round of heats are at Newcastle on Saturday night.
The fields are declared today.
The 2011 Interdominion at Addington will follow the same format as the 2010 series.
There will be two nights of heats (all over 2600m) and a final a week later.
It is unlikely points will be carried into the series.
Talented Victorian trotter Skyvalley has been retired to stud, The New zealand Herald reports.
The exciting 5yr-old broke down at Melton on Friday night and trainer Chris Lang says he will not be tried again.
"He has been battling soreness since winning the Bill Collins Mile in December and now his suspensory is gone.
Skyvalley was the pre-post favourite to win the Interdominion just a month ago but over-raced in his heat and then chased home stablemate Sundon's Gift when third in the final.
Sundon's Gift will contest the Rowe Cup in May.
