So much can change with this Pryde's EasiFeed Victoria Cup in the 12 days until it is run - for starters, we are still none-the-wiser whether long-time favourite Leap To Fame will be in the race.

The fact he is racing Saturday night at Albion Park – or at least we all hope so if there are enough acceptors for the race to go ahead – surely points to some level of intent from trainer-driver Grant Dixon.

Why have him wound-up enough to race now if you’re not looking very seriously at the Victoria Cup There’s nothing else of note for Leap To Fame between now and the Albion Park Inter Dominion in December.

My gut feel? He’ll come if the race goes ahead Saturday night and he pleases Dixon in the process.

Saturday night shapes as quite the decisive one for the Victoria Cup.

Aside from Leap To Fame, Miracle Mile winner Catch A Wave and possibly Captain Ravishing will be among the headline acts in the Smoken Up Sprint at Melton.

Catch A Wave looked sharp in a moderate Melton trial last week, but gets his sweet spot with a 1720m speed test to return to racing in on Saturday night. Many will be looking for him to make a bit of a statement after the disappointment of his TAB Eureka tilt.

Captain Ravishing returns to the track where he has looked world class at times. He has won his past two Melton starts by an aggregate of 50.6m – the first in last November’s Breeders Crown 3YO final and the latest in the Group 4YO Bonanza back on February 4.

It’s been a rollercoaster since, but his third in the TAB Eureka was remarkable given the limited preparation trainer Ahmed Taiba was able to give him.

Captain Ravishing is set to trial at Ballarat tonight (Monday), probably against the likes of Honolua Bay and Ladies In Red, which will help Taiba decide if he runs in the Smoken Up on Saturday or waits and goes first-up into the Victoria Cup (if he gets a run).

It shapes similarly with Honolua Bay, who hasn’t raced since finishing third in the Miracle Mile back on March 4.

The Hunter Cup hero has a long history of issues and niggles, but oozes class and would add plenty to the Victoria Cup, even if he does go in first-up. He ran second to Rock N Roll Doo in the race last year.

Better Eclipse made the most of a great run and drive to win last Friday’s Kilmore Cup, while Rock N Roll Doo and NSW pair Spirit Of St Louis Hi Manameisjeff will add further to the interstate flavour.

And how many runners will Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin have?

They had three last year, four in last December’s Inter Dominion pacing final at Melton and three again in the Hunter Cup back on February 4. They may nominate as many as eight for this Victoria Cup.

In a twist, recent Vicbred winner Amore Vita may join TAB Eureka winner Encipher to give the stable two mares in the Cup. Encipher would obviously be a lock for a start and it’s hard to argue how Amore Vita could miss out.

Stewart and Tonkin are also expected to nominate Act Now, Mach Dan, Beyond Delight, Narutac Prince, Hurricane Harley and maybe Honolua Bay. That’s presuming Treachery and Tough Tilly, who weren’t disgraced in last Friday’s Kilmore Cup, drop back to the mares’ race on Victoria Cup night. They could have at least half the 12-horse field.

But how that final field looks and who will be favourite, let alone who wins it, remains gloriously uncertain.

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.