SINCE 1949 the Hunter Cup has molded legends. 

Tonight, at Tabcorp Park, which will stage Victoria’s richest annual pacing feature for the 12th occasion, another legend-making triumph looms. 

What those without a rich or rewarding relationship with harness racing may not recognise, however, are that legends fill the race. 

Let’s start with the Hunter Cup's reigning lord and regent, reinsman Anthony Butt. 

Earlier this week, sporting zealots worldwide lauded the durability and deeds of retiring NFL legend Tom Brady, who closed the curtain on an extraordinary career at age 44. 

Well, without giving his birth certificate away, Butt is on the darker side of 50. 

And tonight, he has a seriously significant chance of claiming his eighth Hunter Cup. 

For context, the Hunter Cup has traditionally been called the Melbourne Cup of pacing. 

And, for those that do not know, the Melbourne Cup’s most successful jockeys are Bobby Lewis and Harry White with four triumphs apiece. 

Butt is aiming to double that haul at 9:17pm. 

A former Kiwi himself, Butt will partner fellow New Zealand expatriate Amazing Dream in the $500,000 Group 1 classic and, in doing so, potentially replicate his deeds from way back in the ‘90s. 

It was in that decade – 1994 and 1995 to be exact - that Butt began his outrageous Hunter Cup run with bottomless mare Blossom Lady. 

Since those back-to-back titles, no mare has claimed the fiercest staying test in Australian pacing. 

Amazing Dream, a member of the fairer gender herself, may well end the drought. 

Butt may be the king tonight, but he is not alone. 

Also driving in tonight’s race is previous winner Luke McCarthy, Australia’s winningest ever reinsman Chris Alford and the man who most regard as Alford’s natural heir Greg Sugars. 

Legendary trainers Emma Stewart and David Aiken will also prepare runners for the Grand Circuit event, while Nathan Purdon, son of harness racing’s Bart Cummings, Mark Purdon, will join forces with Butt as Amazing Dream’s conditioner. 

This is what it’s about.

Champion horses and champion humans competing on the biggest stage. 

THOROUGHBRED and harness racing share a lasting bond. 

Back in kinder days, you see, there was a natural order. 

Gallops was a day pursuit; the trots shone bright at night. 

As the entertainment game evolved that partnership dissolved; with so much competition, even friends were seen as foes. 

Hopefully, that standoff finds it’s landing point tonight. 

This evening, for the very first time, harness racing will be broadcast live and free on Racing.com. 

Hosted by Michael Felgate, the feature coverage will start at 6pm and take in all 10 races comprising the Del-Re National A. G. Hunter Cup card.

Harness racing needs this move.

And it still makes sense. 

The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the author and may not be attributed to or represent policies of Harness Racing Victoria, which is the state authority and owner of thetrots.com.au.