It’s official. The 12 horses that will battle out this Saturday night’s Del-Re National A G Hunter Cup have been decided.
Defending champion Lochinvar Art (David Moran) will meet four of the rivals he beat to win last year’s Grand Circuit classic, including King Of Swing (Belinda McCarthy), Malcolms Rhythm (David Aiken), Our Uncle Sam (Chris Frisby) and Triple Eight (Jess Tubbs).
Team McCarthy will be represented by three pacers after star duo Expensive Ego and Spirit Of St Louis also gained a place in the field, while Aiken and Emma Stewart are the other trainers to secure multiple runners in the $500,000 feature at Tabcorp Park Melton.
Aiken will also have reigning Victoria Cup champion Max Delight face the starter, with 2021 Horsham and Mildura Pacing Cup winner Mach Dan and comeback kid Phoenix Prince to carry the hopes of the Stewart camp.
Making up the field from the 24 original nominees is brilliant Nathan Purdon-trained mare Amazing Dream and Dean Braun’s emerging gun Willie Go West, who is fresh off a devastating display in last month’s Hobart Pacing Cup.
Joe Pace-trained Supreme Dominator has been named first emergency.
The list of squaregaiters that will compete in Friday’s What The Hill Great Southern Star has also been finalised.
The selection panel had to whittle down the 35 nominations to form two heats of 10, with horses to compete for a place in the Group 1 $300,000 final later on Friday night’s card.
The first three placed horses in each heat will automatically progress to the final, while the remaining four qualifiers will be determined based on the gross time of each unplaced runner from the heats.
Defending champion Tornado Valley is one of three trotters from the Andy Gath stable that will tackle the series, with current favourite Majestuoso and impressive last-start winner Vacation Hill also there.
Majestic Man (Phil Williamson), Sundons Courage (Brad Angove) and Tough Monarch (Rickie Alchin) are the three rivals that Tornado Valley beat in last year’s final to back up in the 2022 event.
A special TrotsVision broadcast will kick-off at 7pm tonight when Jason Bonnington and Nikkita Ross are joined by leading reinsman Greg Sugars to preview the TAB Summer of Glory finale.
The broadcast will also include the barrier draws for the Hunter Cup and Great Southern Star heats, plus have a look at the nominations for the DNR Logistics 4YO Bonanza and Alabar Bloodstock Ladyship Cup.
So be sure to tune in for a great night on TrotsVision, with today’s races at Geelong to be followed by a past Hunter Cup/Great Southern Star package before the live barrier draw show gets underway.
