START your engines harness racing fans, top class open company racing is back. 

Victoria will hold much of the limelight for the last four months of 2022 with the Pryde's EasiFeed Victoria Cup Carnival well and truly upon us followed by the Breeders Crown, Inter Dominion and Vicbred Super Series.  

Saturday night signals an unofficial start to the carnival with Group 1 trotting and pacing races featuring many of the stars of each division.  

The Opus Group Australasian Trotting Championships will be quite the spectacle under standing start conditions with 11 trotters sharing the front tape and defending Inter Dominion champion MAORI LAW operating as the lone back marker off 10 metres.  

ALDEBARAN ZEUS has returned as a four-year-old in fantastic form but now sees himself tested in open company, which will prove another challenge for the Brent Lilley trainee. Despite that, he has been installed as a solid TAB favourite.  

The $100,000 VHRC Caduceus Classic has been touted as a race in two between Kiwi superstar COPY THAT and the ultra-exciting HONALUA BAY, however TORRID SAINT has been the most popular all week. Opening as a clear third elect, the $9.50 available initially was quickly snapped up with $4.80 now the current price for the in-form speedster. 

On the other hand, Copy That has been friendless despite his reputation and body of work drifting from $2.30 out to $3.  

The price ease is somewhat of a surprise with the former New Zealand Cup winner arriving with a positive first up run under his belt and a perfect front row draw at the short course to his advantage.  

Nathan Jack will take the reins for the first time on the now five-year-old entire and his trainer Ray Green has filled the local reinsman with plenty of confidence.  

“I can’t say too much as I haven’t sat behind him but Ray has said that if he finds the top, he won’t be getting beaten,” Jack said.

The Alabar Vicbred Platinum Pace will also be highly competitive with top quality three-year-old fillies PELLILANTE and JUST HOPE winding up towards the Victorian Oaks.  

LEAP TO FAME made a successful hit and run mission on Tamworth yesterday (Thursday) afternoon to kick off his Breeders Challenge campaign.  

Making the seven-hour trip south with his stablemate and series defending champion TIMS A TROOPER, the dual Derby winner smashed the previous track record by a second in setting a new mark of 1 minute and 54.2 seconds.  

Manoeuvring away from the inside of the second row, the Grant Dixon trained and driven star was quickly put into the contest sitting outside fellow Queenslander TEDDY DISCO.  

The two came away late for a good stretch battle with Leap To Fame coming out on top, narrowly but seemingly comfortably.  

With six weeks until the semi-final and the subsequent grand final a week later, his next major target will be the $200,000 Downbytheseaside Victoria Derby on October 8.  

 BEST of the weekend – R7 N2 @ Albion Park Saturday Slick Sophie 

VALUE of the weekend – R6 N6 @ Menangle Saturday Braeview Kelly   

Brittany Graham is a regular host on Sky Racing and the Sky Racing Active app, plus In The Gig with Ben Way and Gareth Hall every Tuesday night on Sky Racing 2 from 6pm.

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.