1.

LOCHINVAR ART

Career: 41:20‑13‑5 Earnings: $714,376 BWMR: 1:48.6 SAFE

The top choice for three who has been building throughout his campaign and been heralded by many as Ride High's kryptonite in 'The Clash' that's yet to happen. His 1:48.6 in the 4YO Bonanza changed the Victorian landscape and will have all rivals looking over their shoulders.

2.

KING OF SWING

Career: 58:26-9-4 Earnings: $1,438,136 BWMR: 1:48.0 SAFE

It's not a question of whether he's good enough - the Miracle Mile and Hunter Cup winner topped six of the nine boards - but it's a question of whether he fronts. The camp says King Of Swing only runs if Luke McCarthy or Gary Hall Jnr can steer him, and border restrictions make that tricky. The latest word is he's 50-50 to start.

3.

RIDE HIGH

Career: 17:16-0-1 Earnings: $287,927 BWMR: 1:49.0 SAFE

Won 11 straight and 16 of 17, and absolutely crushed track records this season amid an extraordinary campaign that's prompted rival trainers to dub him the best pacer in the world. The Vic Cup will be his Grand Circuit debut and it's here where he can drop the word 'potential' from the title 'potential superstar'.

4.

CASH N FLOW

Career: 65:31-10-3 Earnings: $526,021 BWMR: 1:49.0 SAFE

He's been the Ride High of New South Wales this campaign, creating his own 12-race winning streak and running sub 1:50 on seven occasions. Winner of last year's Smoken Up Sprint, he tired when leading the Victoria Cup to be swamped in the last 100 metres, with distance still a query for the sprint specialist.

5.

CRUZ BROMAC

Career: 53:23-7-6 Earnings: $1,051,575 BWMR: 1:50.1 SAFE

Would have been an absolute lock, but Saturday night's disappointing return planted a seed of doubt among some. The 30-metre defeat was his only start this year, but the New Zealand Trotting Cup triumph is still fresh in memories and the millionaire pacer's outstanding track record of consistency and success carries him a long way.

6.

CODE BAILEY

Career: 45:17-9-7 Earnings: $283,835 BWMR: 1:53.2 LIKELY

Talented and tough, Code Bailey's first up off a terrific summer when he turned country cups into bold Grand Circuit performances, running fourth in the Hunter Cup, second in the Allied Express Sprint and sixth in the Miracle Mile. These performances separate him from the chasing pack.

7.

BLING IT ON

Career: 97:48-12-10 Earnings: $1,838,876 BWMR: 1:50.2 LIKELY

The reigning champ's won only once - the $12,240 Walla Walla Stakes - since his triumph in last year's Victoria Cup, including a sub-par Kiwi campaign in the 2019 Inter Dominion. But with $1.8 million in the bank and some of the nation's greatest trophies in his cabinet, the stallion can't be discounted and has been building with consecutive third placings at Menangle.

8.

BALRAJ

Career: 20:12-1-1 Earnings: $84,420 BWMR: 1:49.1 LIKELY

A boom juvenile whose reputation has only blossomed in Craig Cross's stable amid three eye-catching runs this campaign. A last start win at Menangle, where he ran past King Of Swing in a 25.6-second last quarter, clinched the deal for many.

9.

HURRICANE HARLEY

Career: 35:19-4-2 Earnings: $431,740 BWMR: 1:50.6 LIKELY

The lightning fast two and three-year-old's evolution into a top tier contender was confirmed with an impressive all-the-way win in a talent laden Bendigo free-for-all, when he used his draw advantage to hold Lochinvar Art to a 1.5-metre second placing. With a Group 2 4YO win in the Paleface Adios Stakes also to his credit, Harley looks on course for a break-out season.

10.

ALTA ORLANDO

Career: 77:16-14-13 Earnings: $619,347 BWMR: 1:50.0 LIKELY

Galloped last start but before that a model of consistency, placing in his previous 12 starts including a Schweppes Sprint Group 1 win and a Miracle Mile third placing. Looks well placed for a Vic Cup start, when he will be first up in over a month.

11.

CODE BLACK

Career: 77:19-12-14 Earnings: $343,735 BWMR: 1:50.8 FRINGE

Enjoyed a break-out 2019-20 season on the country cups circuit where his high speed shone and delivered the Yarra Valley and Maryborough cups. Crashed the line when first up at Bendigo, only five metres in arears of Lochinvar Art, and with a good TAB Smoken Up Sprint may lay claim to a Vic Cup start.

12.

IM ANOTHERMASTERPIECE

Career: 30:11-5-4 Earnings: $444,980 BWMR: 1:53.3 FRINGE

One of the more difficult to assess for his trans-Tasman form. Previous Melton starts were a third in the Breeders Crown two-year-old final (behind Hurricane Harley and Centenario) and second in the Victoria Derby (behind Muscle Factory). Since then his only Australian trip was for a 2020 Miracle Mile campaign that went awry. Last won in New Zealand in March, when he beat Triple Eight to win the Group 2 4-5YO Championship, and has since been competitive but just off the best in NZ for Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen.

13.

TAM MAJOR

Career: 51:14-13-8 Earnings: $325,990 BWMR: 1:53.6 FRINGE

Ultra consistent and coming off an impressive four-year-old season, which included Vicbred and Breeders Crown wins and booked him a berth in the 2019 Victoria Cup, when he placed eighth. Was more than competitive transitioning to open class on the country cups circuit and returned on Saturday with a bold second behind Lochinvar Art in the TAB Minuteman Free For All.

14.

MAJOR TIMES

Career: 43:18-8-9 Earnings: $227,895 BWMR: 1:53.5 FRINGE

Last start 10th was below his best but has otherwise been super consistent and loomed at times as the next in line behind Ride High and Lochinvar Art. Had his shining light at Ballarat on August 8 when he beat the latter, before having the tables turned when he did plenty of work at Bendigo. Is thereabouts, but is another who could do with a career moment in the TAB Smoken Up Sprint to book a Vic Cup start.

15.

OUT TO PLAY

Career: 20:8-5-4 Earnings: $187,127 BWMR: 1:53.3 FRINGE

Still lightly raced among this lot, having won eight of his only 20 starts after bursting on to the scene in the three-year-old Vicbred Super Series. Followed up with a fifth placing in the Chariots Of Fire, beaten 10 metres by Lochinvar Art, and then this campaign has advanced to open class with consecutive third placings, beaten 22 metres by Ride High and then last start 10 metres by Lochinvar Art.

16.

CRUZ

Career: 77:27-16-4 Earnings: $273,755 BWMR: 1:49.9 FRINGE

Won four of five in Albion Park, including twice beating Colt Thirty One, who would be a likely starter if he made the trip. Has Melton form, but panel's rating suggests he probably needs a bold TAB Smoken Up Sprint showing to definitively leapfrog others into the 12.

17.

RACKEMUP TIGERPIE

Career: 47:13-7-5 Earnings: $171,405 BWMR: 1:52.1 FRINGE

Has struggled to replicate his extraordinary 2019 Ballarat Cup, when he was just 1.3 metres shy of upsetting Thefixer, but the stable's rapt with how he's returned this campaign. Was extremely bold in tracking Lochinvar Art in last Saturday's TAB Minuteman Free For All, when he boxed on well to finish fourth, which may have opened the door for a Grand Circuit debut.

18.

SICARIO

Career: 56:19-8-8 Earnings: $428,725 BWMR: 1:53.8 FRINGE

Has consistently taken on the best and exceeded the expectations of many with an ultra-competitive 2019 Inter Dominion campaign, where he finished seventh in the final. Won The Pure Steel on Hunter Cup night and the Echuca Cup the following week, then placed third behind Alta Orlando and My Field Marshall in the Schweppes Sprint, narrowly missing a Miracle Mile start. Has shown he can keep pace with the best, but will likely need a bold TAB Smoken Up Sprint to jump into the dozen.

19.

REACTOR NOW

Career: 16:11-0-0 Earnings: $79,930 BWMR: 1:52.2 LONGSHOT

Won nine of 10 this campaign to run rampant through his grade and then produced a competitive last start fourth at Bendigo, boxing on well in a class field. It may be a year too early and an attack on Breeders Crown and Vicbred Super Series may be more likely, but there's no doubting the big, lightly raced Auckland Reactor gelding's potential.

20.

SIRLETIC

Career: 23:12-7-2 Earnings: $118,853 BWMR: 1:53.7 LONGSHOT

It's hard to believe it was 12 months ago that drivers donned replicas of the late Gavin Lang's helmet in the 2019 Victoria Cup to honour the great reinsman, who was suffering ill health. Josh Aiken wears Lang's silks when he steers Sirletic, who hasn't missed a place since joining David Aiken. In his most recent three runs, only Ride High and Lochinvar Art have beaten him to the line, including an audacious challenge at Bendigo that inspired Ride High's 1:49.0 record mile rate.

21.

SHADOW SAX

Career: 42:23-6-4 Earnings: $549,080 BWMR: 1:52.5 LONGSHOT

A winner of almost $550,000, but winless since November 2018, Shadow Sax has found the going tough since seemingly on the cusp of big things ahead of the 2018 Inter Dominion. Injury has repeatedly hindered the seven-year-old, who's won 23 of his 42 starts. Finished ninth, beaten 17 metres, at Bendigo on September 19 when first up since his 12th in the 2019 Victoria Cup and looks hard pressed to leapfrog others, but still carries a big race reputation.

22.

ZENNART

Career: 41:15-4-3 Earnings: $171,252 BWMR: 1:51.4 LONGSHOT

His campaign looks to have gone kaput with his TAB Minuteman Free For All failure, when he overraced and faded. It was a disappointing return after promising plenty at Menangle, and the camp says he'll return home.

23.

MY KIWI MATE

Career: 78:15-16-15 Earnings: $360,632 BWMR: 1:52.2 LONGSHOT

Continually bold and thereabouts but ultimately winless since The Gammalite on September 8, 2018. Worked his way into the 2019 Inter Dominion final and ran past Lochinvar Art and into second behind Major Times at Ballarat in August, which are definite credits, but it's otherwise been a long time between drinks.

24.

SAN CARLO

Career: 63:30-4-8 Earnings: $574,298 BWMR: 1:54.6 LONGSHOT

A long-time fan favourite, the three-time Inter Dominion finalist has boxed on brilliantly throughout his career and taken reinswoman Rebecca Bartley far and wide. But there are big question marks as to whether his best is behind him, with a win at Mildura his only victory in the past twelve months and he has failed to threaten at his last few starts.

25.

IDEALSOMEMAGIC

Career: 48:11-12-5 Earnings: $111,830 BWMR: 1:53.3 LONGSHOT

Another super competitive performer with great gate speed that enables him to sit at the head of affairs against class opposition. Never disgraced, but yet to break through at free for all level.