Sushi Sushi has drawn gate seven for his first Grand Circuit foray in the PETstock Ballarat Pacing Cup
The mouth watering PETstock Ballarat Pacing Cup clash between Smoken Up and Sushi Sushi has been blessed by a dream barrier draw at Bray Raceway this morning.
After weeks of conjecture, Australia’s greatest pacer will meet his heir apparent in what will be their only contest this season and the draw should ensure it’s a battle for the ages.
The early signs for Victoria’s most anticipated draw in recent memory were not good when Sushi Sushi pulled the extreme front line draw of seven for his Grand Circuit debut.
But when his chief adversary Smoken Up landed gate 10, Ballarat’s flagship feature went from exciting to epic.
One piece of what looms as an intriguing puzzle was settled prior to the draw with gun, young reinsman Greg Sugars electing to stick with Sushi Sushi despite driving Smoken Up to SA Cup success earlier this month.
While the identity of Smoken Up’s pilot remains unclear with Lance Justice still recovering from two broken legs, the champion Melton mentor is unconcerned by both that and their unforgiving alley.
“We’ve got plenty of good drivers around; there’s my brother John, there’s Gavin (Lang) and there’s Chris Alford, so I’m not worried at all,” he told Radio Sport National’s Mick McGuane.
“I’m not worried about barrier draws (either). I’m not going to lose sleep over a barrier draw. When the mobile leaves, that’s action time.”
Opinions will be divided on which of the pacing prodigies deserves favouritism for Ballarat’s $125,000 feature, with TAB Sportsbet set to release markets tonight on the race.
Pembrook Benny (1), Heza Trick (2) and former Victorian Horse of the Year Melpark Major (3) have all drawn to complete a ‘Dandy Andy’ by blousing the two champion pacers this Saturday night.
