It’s quality over quantity in terms of nominations for Saturday week’s Sportsbet Victoria Cup.
A total of 17 horses were entered for the Grand Circuit classic, and it’s a mouthwatering list of pacing stars that Harness Racing Victoria handicappers will mull over across the weekend before announcing a final field of 12 and one emergency on Monday.
Defending champion Act Now was among the nominees for the 2024 edition before entries closed on Friday afternoon, with Emma Stewart-trained stablemates Like A Wildfire, Mach Dan and Perfect Class also in contention for a spot in the $300,000 event.
Champion Queenslander Leap To Fame is the $1.50 all-in favourite for the Victoria Cup, while his half-brother and New Zealand Cup champion Swayzee is one of five nominations from the Jason Grimson barn. Others include last week’s Kilmore Pacing Cup winner Major Moth, Curly James, District Attorney and Nerano.
Multiple Group 1 winner Catch A Wave is there for Andy Gath, as is excitement machine and Melton 2240m track record holder Captain Ravishing for Freddy Taiba. Better Eclipse and Triple Eight are the two representatives from the Jess Tubbs stable.
Punters will get a great look at some of the likely runners in the race in tomorrow night’s Group 3 Smoken Up Sprint, where all bar one of the starters is nominated for the Victoria Cup.
The October 12 meeting at Melton Entertainment Park will be shown on Racing.com’s channels 68 and 78, and simulcast at TrotsVision.com.au.
Brittany Graham will be on track to lead the expanded Sky Racing offering and legendary race caller Dan Mielicki will describe all the action, including a mouthwatering six Group 1s.
Outside the Victoria Cup, other highlights will include the next bout between brilliant squaregaiters Just Believe and Callmethebreeze in the Bill Collins Trotters Sprint and the appearance of emerging megastar Keayang Zahara in the Victorian Trotters Oaks.
The Victoria Cup barrier draw will be conducted on Sky Racing on Tuesday morning.
VICTORIA CUP NOMINATIONS
ACT NOW (Emma Stewart), ANYTHING GOES (Kevin Pizzuto), BETTER ECLIPSE (Jess Tubbs), CANTFINDABETTORMAN (Isabel Walsh), CAPTAIN RAVISHING (Freddy Taiba), CATCH A WAVE (Andy Gath), CURLY JAMES (Jason Grimson), DISTRICT ATTORNEY (Jason Grimson), LEAP TO FAME (Grant Dixon), LIKE A WILDFIRE (Emma Stewart), MACH DAN (Emma Stewart), MAJOR MOTH (Jason Grimson), MAX DELIGHT (David Aiken), NERANO (Jason Grimson), PERFECT CLASS (Emma Stewart), SWAYZEE (Jason Grimson), TRIPLE EIGHT (Jess Tubbs)