Four rivals from the weekend’s action-packed Ararat Pacing Cup will chase glory in this Saturday’s $50,000 Group 2 feature at Terang.
Runner-up behind Perfect Stride on Sunday was Bettor Be The Bomb, and Basil Dooley’s consistent top level performer is set to line up in the Terang Co-Op Pacing Cup alongside third place-getter Demon Delight (Emma Stewart).
Emerging stars Kimble (Matthew Craven) and Highway To Heaven (Margaret Lee), who engaged in an early speed battle at Ararat and dropped out to finish at the tail of the field, are also among the nine acceptances for the clash over the 2680m staying trip.
Also making the trek to Terang is Dean Braun’s gun Willie Go West, who contested this month’s A.G. Hunter Cup, Michael Stanley’s rejuvenated gelding Rackemup Tigerpie and Andy Gath’s quality Kiwi import Tango Tara.
Rounding out the field is Stewart-trained stablemates Like A Wildfire and Phoenix Prince, who have drawn barriers seven and eight respectively.
$50,000 TERANG CO-OP PACING CUP (GROUP 2)
2680m
1--239 v KIMBLE, Matthew Craven
2--710 HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN NZ, Jason Lee
3--483 v DEMON DELIGHT
4--s10 WILLIE GO WEST NZ, Chris Alford
5--186 v RACKEMUP TIGERPIE, Michael Stanley
6--503 TANGO TARA NZ, Kate Gath
7--141 LIKE A WILDFIRE NZ, David Moran
8--920 v PHOENIX PRINCE, Jodi Quinlan
9--652 v BETTOR BE THE BOMB, Kerryn Manning
The $30,000 South West Conveyancing Terang Trotters Cup will also be staged at Group 2 level on Saturday night.
Kate Hargreaves-trained Well Defined won last year’s race on his way to victory in the Maori’s Idol Trotting Championship and is set to have his first start since mid-January this weekend.
He will start off a 20m handicap for regular driver Ellen Tormey.
Off the same mark is The Penny Drops (Ray Harvey) and Keayang Livana (Margaret Lee), while Havehorsewilltravel (Gath) must overcome 30m to prove victorious.
Craven-trained Queen Of Crime, who reached the Great Southern Star Final earlier this month, looks a key player off the front row.
$30,000 SOUTH WEST CONVEYANCING TERANG TROTTERS CUP (GROUP 2)
2680m SS
1--971 v KYVALLEY FINN, Chris Svanosio FT
2--293 CUCHULAINN NZ, Chris Svanosio FT
3--678 v QUEEN OF CRIME, Matthew Craven FT
4--314 SCALLYWAG SAM NZ, Kate Gath 10m
5--724 WELL DEFINED NZ, Ellen Tormey 20m
6--660 v THE PENNY DROPS, Kerryn Manning 20m
7--509 v KEAYANG LIVANA, Jason Lee 20m
8--918 HAVEHORSEWILLTRAVEL NZ, Kate Gath 30m
Saturday night’s meeting will be broadcast live and free on TrotsVision, with hosts Nikkita Ross and Josh Dickie joined by caller Luke Humphreys.