Luke McCarthy claims Excel Stride will be a force in Inter Dominion Excel Stride last year. Picture: Stuart McCormick Source: Supplied LUKE McCarthy has defended Excel Stride's Inter Dominion claims despite two below-par performances leading into Saturday night's opening round of heats. Once considered a genuine threat to the likes of Terror To Love, Mah Sish and Caribbean Blaster, Excel Stride has been eased out by bookmakers at the TAB to $16 following his disappointing fourth at Tabcorp Park Menangle last Saturday. Excel Stride was rated a $5.50 chance after winning at his first run back from a spell but then drifted to $10 after his shock defeat in the Australia Day Cup. But while the doubters are growing, McCarthy feels that Excel Stride is just working to his peak following a minor setback. "He is getting better, he had a little bit of a cold after his second-up run but he is picking up pretty good," McCarthy said. He has only had the three runs back from a spell, it has been a little rushed to get him to this stage and on Saturday night he was only beaten a head by a head and a neck in 1min 52sec. He did all the work too and we still have got three weeks before the final to get to his peak and I think he is on the way up. There is no hiding that he definitely didn't go as good in his second run but he pulled up a little bit off after that, he seemed 100 per cent going into the race but just a couple of days after it he seemed a bit off, we got him checked by the vet and he said he was fine. McCarthy feels the step up to 2300m in Saturday's heat is also positive. "I think he needs to improve about two lengths and over the distance it is possible," he said. His four-year-old form was super but five-year-olds don't really have a great record in Inter Dominions, apart from Blacks A Fake when he won it. "Whatever he does this season on the Grand Circuit you would hope it will make him into a better horse next year," he said. Despite McCarthy's enthusiasm that Excel Stride can bounce back to form, the TAB's Mick Ramsay, who is managing the Inter Dominion book, can't see him being a threat. "He has been very disappointing and I can't see him winning," Ramsay said. That is two poor runs back-to-back, I've got my doubts whether the horse is 100 per cent because he is much better than that. He is still our worst way because he was well backed early but I'm happy to take him on. Ramsay has been pleased with the form of fellow locals Chariot King and Karloo Mick and believes they can turn out to be real surprise packets. "I've really been impressed with Chariot King and Karloo Mick, they might be getting on in years but they are racing as good as ever," he said. Both of them are real grinders and will lap up the distance (3000m). If they can sneak into the final they are certainly capable of finishing in the top five. They don't have the class or dash as some of the high-profile runners but if it gets turned into a war, they will still be there punching away. The fields for the Inter Dominion heats will be announced today and it is expected that only six runners will line up in Auckland. Terror To Love remains favourite at $3.20 but there has been solid money for defending champion Im Themightyquinn in the past week, who has firmed from $6.50 to join Mah Sish on the second line of betting at $5.