There is still lots to play out with who makes this Pryde's EasiFeed Victoria Cup field let alone who wins it.
Leap To Fame is the raging hot favourite, but in the words of his trainer-driver Grant Dixon he is “50-50” of making the trip to Melton on October 14.
We will be left hanging on that one, maybe only late this week, as you would think Leap To Fame would need a lead-up race before taking on such a big assignment.
It is no secret Dixon’s absolute focus is on winning his “hometown” Inter Dominion at Albion Park in December, so it’s just a matter of whether he sees a hit-and-run raid on the Victoria Cup being a positive or negative along the way.
Defending champion Rock N Roll Doo is back and humming. He will cap his preparation in Friday night’s Kilmore Cup, just as he did last year.
Miracle Mile winner Catch A Wave adds to the intrigue, having not been seen since being found to have “a bug” after his below par TAB Eureka run. Everything sounds back on track and it seems we will see him in Saturday week’s Smoken Up Sprint at Melton to sharpen-up.
The mighty mare Encipher looks set to take on the boys again, just as she did to win the TAB Eureka. She would add so much to this Cup.
It was great to see Act Now back to his best with a fantastic Melton win last Saturday night and Better Eclipse ran a terrific second. They both look right on target.
Spirit Of St Louis will be there and almost certainly run a big race. He’s just so consistent in the big races, having only been beaten a whisker in the Len Smith Mile on September 2 and run second in two Miracle Miles and a Hunter Cup.
Grand Circuit “warhorse” Mach Dan is also a lock for a start given his deeds at the top level over the past two years and he wasn’t far away in the Len Smith Mile (fourth).
Hunter Cup winner Honolua Bay must be a query. He hasn’t raced since finishing third in the Miracle Mile on March 4 and trainer Emma Stewart said “not sure” when asked if would be ready.
Then there is Jason Grimson.
All the talk is about his latest stable addition, Hi Manameisjeff, who has looked awesome winning all three starts for Grimson.
He paced a 1:48.9 mile three starts back and then went an almost unthinkable 52.9-second last half winning at Menangle last Saturday night.
Sure, he hasn’t beaten much, but the gelding has won 12 of 24 starts through an injury interrupted career.
He brings some serious X-factor and Grimson’s record in Australasia’s biggest races over the past couple of years speaks for itself. How could you leave him out?
And will Grimson bring Swayzee, too? We haven’t seen him since he smashed the clock winning the Group 1 Blacks A Fake on July 22 at Albion Park.
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It is too early to start seriously juggling numbers, but there has already been plenty of talk around whether Captain Ravishing will get a start in the Cup.
Last week his trainer Ahmed Taiba has rightly expressed some concerns about where Captain Ravishing might sit in the pecking order and whether racing him beforehand would be a plus or minus.
The way I see it, he is unquestionably in the best 12 horses aiming at the race and should be a lock, but, as recent years have shown, the selection criteria of the race has leant more towards proven open-class horses and Captain Ravishing has raced just once in open class, for his seventh in the Miracle Mile back on March 4.
Surely his terrific third in an elite TAB Eureka field, the fact he holds the Melton track record for the Victoria Cup distance (2240m) and he’s won nine of just 16 starts should trump everything else?
Oh, then there’s the fact he is an equine PR machine for a sport so desperately in need of exposure.
This has all the makings of a wonderful Victoria Cup and the banter, debates and opinions on who should make the field will only add to that.
Bring on October 14 when the Victoria Cup will ice an incredible race day just hours after the Everest and Caulfield Guineas are run.
And, just like last year, you’ll get the showcased coverage of Victoria Cup night on Racing.com's free-to-air channels 68, 78 and 7plus.
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.