Victoria Derby heat winners Major Bronski (pictured) and Lanercost will be back in action at Tabcorp Park this Friday night
Australasian pacing's A-graders will be at Harold Park for the Watpac Inter Dominion heats this Friday night, but some of it's future stars will be on show at Melton's Tabcorp Park.
The Caduceus Club Cup has attracted a brilliant field of three-year-olds with a couple of beaten favoured runners from the Alabar Victoria Derby on February 6 out to redeem themselves.
Major Bronski and Lanercost will both contest the $25,000 event that has been won by stars including Jodie's Babe, Impressionist, Khans Thunder, Manifold Bay, Sir Galvinator and last year's winner Living On Fire.
Stuart Hunter engineered Sir Galvinator's success a week after he was beaten in the 2005 Derby and he is hoping to work some similar magic with Major Bronski.
"It's been a good race for us with Sir Galvinator winning it a few years ago," Queensland-based Hunter said. "We've been in it once and won it once, so hopefully we can make it two from two."
While Sir Galvinator finished second to Emmas Only in his Derby, Major Bronski was fourth at the $4.10 favourite in this year's blue riband when shooting for 10 wins in a row.
But Hunter was anything but disappointed with the Art Major colt's effort to get within eight metres of Courage To Rule after starting from a nightmare gate wide on the second line.
"At one time he was probably 20 lengths off the lead," Hunter lamented." Then they ran 28.1 (seconds) wile he was getting around to the death seat then ran home a 55-second last half (mile).
"He did most of the work in the race but still wasn't beaten that far at the end. It was a hard run, but he's good now."
Major Bronski, who has drawn barrier seven in the 2240-metre event, will need to be at his best with Derby third placegetter and speedy beginner Lanercost drawn to his immediate inside.
Despite the draw, HRV price assessor Bill Hutchison has marked Major Bronski, to be driven by Chris Alford, the $2.10 favourite, 10 cents clear of the Darrel Graham-trained-and-driven Lanercost.
Among the others engaged in the 9.10pm event are former star two-year-old Bells And Whistles ($9, barrier nine), Ole Master Lombo ($11, three) and Living On Fire's half-brother Living On Ice ($13, four).
The Caduceus Club Cup is the main event on a card that includes The ANZ Stampede, the JDN Monocrane Sapling Stakes for the two-year-old boys, the Paveworld VHRSC Metropolitan Cup and an appearance by glamour trotter Skyvalley.
