WHEN Harness Racing Victoria moved the Victoria Cup to October four years ago I thought it was lunacy.

I was wrong.

The stars have still turned-up and all four winners in the October timeslot have been superstars: Lennytheshark (2017), Tiger Tara (2018), Bling It On (2019) and Lochinvar Art, who beat King Of Swing and others last year.

But this Pryde's EasiFeed Victoria Cup will be next level because it’s about so much more than just the Cup itself.

TOP WA trainer Greg Bond has his sights set on the new-look Victoria Cup Carnival.

Bond and wife Skye will use the next month or so to settle which of their stable stars will chase features like the Victoria Cup, Derby and Oaks as well as the mares’ features.

Heading the contenders are former WA Cup winner Mighty Conqueror, emerging star Minstrel, classy mare Wainui Creek and three-year-olds like Dont Bother Me None, Jett Star, Boorah and Newsy.

It was the carnival that had it all.

When Racing Queensland enhanced it’s winter carnival, adding a few new Group 1 features and bolstering stakemoney, it hoped to become a real destination event of Aussie harness.

It’s only taken one year and defied all the travel hassles of a pandemic to do so.

The chorus of praise from participants likened the TAB Constellations Carnival to the glory days of the Inter Dominion when participants and fans would gather from all parts of Australia for great racing and celebrate the sport.

WHAT a treat it has been watching Anthony Butt in action during the past few weeks in Queensland.

It is well-established he is a champion, but the way he has driven in the big races at Redcliffe and Albion Park during this stunningly successful Queensland Constellations Carnival has been something to behold.

His mix of aggression, poise and split-second decision making has been sublime. Then again, this is a guy who’s won seven A. G. Hunter Cups, 37 heats or finals of the Inter Dominion, three NZ Cups and countless other major races.

CRAN Dalgety is a class act.

The champion Kiwi horseman allowed himself a moment to digest KRUG’S fourth placing behind AMAZING DREAM in the inaugural Group 1 The Rising Sun, then quickly switched into celebration-mode.

This wasn’t about Krug, Dalgety or what might have been … it was Nathan Purdon’s moment and Dalgety wanted it to be special. The pair go way back.

“Nath and I are close, he’s like a brother. We’re staying up here together and it’s great to be kicking around with him again,” Dalgety said. “He’s worked for me on three different occasions and we were even in a training partnership back home (NZ) for a while.

DAVID Brick is entitled to take some time to himself this week to savour the huge success his brainchild, The Rising Sun, is even before it is run for the first time.

Simply, it’s the best “new” race harness racing has seen since the Miracle Mile was first run and won by Kiwi mare ROBIN DUNDEE way back in 1967.

It’s an inspired concept, especially the three-year-old wildcard factor and preferential draw element. The proof is in the pudding with the chatter leading into the race and how strong the field will be.

THERE’S a bit of a Cox Plate feel to this new race, The Rising Sun.

The interest around what, if any three-year-olds will run in the Cox Plate, is always a huge talking point and the quirk factor of having two 3YO wildcards spots in The Rising Sun – largely a race for four-year-old pacers – has given it a whole new dimension.

Young Kiwi sensation KRUG showed he will add so much to the race, especially the way he so impressively won the Redcliffe Derby last Saturday night. You can go much better than he did, doing a power of work and slicing 0.8sec off the all-aged track record.

WA pacing sensation SHOCKWAVE is just what the Victoria Cup needs.

After 18 months of limited interstate and Kiwi raids because of COVID-19, having a serious new buzz horse come across and take on the best from the eastern states in a serious Group 1 feature will be a real treat.

Shockwave has it all and he’s poised to dominate his own patch judging by last Friday’s stellar comeback win, but is he more than just a big fish in a little pond? Time will tell.

AUSTRALIA’S most exciting pacer EXPENSIVE EGO will kick-start a massive six weeks of Queensland racing with a surprise early appearance at Albion Park on Saturday night.

Team McCarthy will also unleash its buzz new pick-up SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS at the same meeting.

“There are good races for both of them, they are both headed towards The Rising Sun (July 10),” driver Luke McCarthy said. “The way they are graded, both can run in support races rather than the Lucky Creed (free-for-all) this week.”

Adam Hamilton's latest column takes a look at the massive Group 1 meeting from Cambridge in New Zealand, the hotly-debated protest from Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday night and Spankem's disappointing return to Australia.

KATE Gath and Tilly Wilkes still haven’t met, but the friendship already runs so deep.

It the moments after TOUGH TILLY’S biggest and most dominant win so far, Saturday night’s $350,000 Group 1 Australian Gold final, Gath looked down the barrel of the Trots Vision camera and said: “Hi Tilly, I’m so excited for you.”

When Gath’s night was finally over and she turned on her phone, the first text message she saw was from Wilkes, thanking her for drive on Tough Tilly and congratulating her.

THIS will be a special night for the TOUGH TILLY team.

It’s the first time the big group of 30, including the “face” of the filly, young Tilly Wilkes, will all gather trackside to cheer for their superstar in the $350,000 Group 1 Australian Gold 3YO final at Melton next Saturday night.

Because of COVID-19, the Tough Tilly team has been restricted to meeting and watching her races together away from the track.

THE time has come to ditch sprint lanes.

When they were first introduced in Australia, the “sell” was increased turnover and better perception for the sport.

There’s no evidence either have eventuated.

What sparked me to raise the sprint lane debate again – it’s certainly not the first time I have – is the massive surge of interest and betting turnover on Mildura.

“THAT was a bit like the good old days.”

Those were Kerryn Manning’s words in the moments after teaming-up with her father, Peter, for their first Group 1 win together in 11 years with PLYMOUTH CHUBB at Melton last Saturday night.

And weren’t those good old days special, when Peter was the “King of the Kids” for his stunning success with juveniles then showed his versatility by taking KNIGHT PISTOL from a rogue to a Group 1 trotting megastar.

THE door is open and the contenders are coming knocking.

When LOCHINVAR ART was ruled out for the rest of this year with injury, the crown as Australia’s best was up for grabs.

Sure dual Miracle Mile winner KING OF SWING justifiably inherits the number one seeding, but the challengers are coming thick and fast, headed by EXPENSIVE EGO.

SUPERSTAR four-year-old EXPENSIVE EGO has unfinished business at Melton.

The only time he’s been down to Melbourne proved a complete and utter shambles in the Group 1 4YO Bonanza and left some Victorians doubting the huge buzz around him.

Fair to say he’s deemed himself since through a stunning Chariots Of Fire win and arguably even bigger run when second to King Of Swing in the Miracle Mile.

WE should know the result of the fascinating Tasmanian Cup inquiry early this week.

And it could have far-reaching ramifications for not just the harness but the thoroughbred industry as well.

How you might ask? Well, should decorated and hugely respected former Racing NSW chief steward Ray Murrihy change the result of the race, much interest will centre on how much the improper and excessive whip use contributed to his decision.

IT is time to take the Breeders Crown back to where it began – the bush.

After a stellar month of regional racing – firstly in NSW at Bathurst and Wagga and now at Mildura – it’s clear taking the sport 'on the road' is vital and needs to be embraced even more.

Australian thoroughbred racing’s most iconic country carnival, Warrnambool – or simply 'The 'Bool' as it’s known – is just around the corner and it begs the question why Mildura is Victoria’s only true country carnival.