The Australian Pacers Grand Circuit began in 1977 and was designed to be the showpiece of the Australian Harness Racing Industry with horses competing from every State within Australia.
In 1992 New Zealand was admitted and the Circuit was renamed the Australasian Grand Circuit.
The best horses available are brought together to race for very attractive prizemoney.
In 2012, the Grand Circuit was revamped with sweeping changes implemented including a cash bonus to connections if their pacer is good enough to tally the most points after contesting the designated events throughout the season.
The race is still wide open with several pacers in the mix this season.
This Saturday night, the Gr.1 $400,000 TAB Victoria Cup is the highlight with an outstanding field assembled.
Most jurisdictions from the southern hemisphere are represented with the host state having half the field in the 2240m mobile start sprint.
Many experts have lauded this field as the best they’ve seen in the 40 year history of the great race with several runners boasting legitimate Grand Circuit form this season omitted from the final field.
New Zealand, which has a rich and proud history in the Victoria Cup are represented by their three best pacing prospects in Terror To Love, Adore Me and Christen Me.
Terror To Love is a three-time New Zealand Cup champion while Adore Me is the current New Zealand Cup champion and Christen Me is the current Miracle Mile hero.
This triple trio of pacing excellence sends chills down the spines of their rivals anytime they grace a racetrack but the barrier draw gods have proven to be unkind with all three drawing awkwardly.
Christen Me starts from gate six with Terror To Love alongside him in gate seven while star mare Adore Me must overcome gate 12.
The Mark Purdon trained and driven superstar is the only female in the classic event.
Defending champion For A Reason is also facing a massive challenge after landing gate 11, prepared by husband and wife combination of Luke and Belinda McCarthy, their brilliant pacer needs to find form quickly following some disappointing efforts lately.
Buzz pacer Beautide is clearly the mystery runner of the field having not raced since his narrow defeat in the Miracle Mile on November 29.
The James Rattray trained and driven pacer has missed recent racing owing to untimely setbacks but proved his readiness for the event with a solid showing at the Ballarat trials last weekend.
After landing gate three, Beautide has rocketed back into serious calculations with most listing him as the horse to beat.
Millionaire pacer David Hercules has made the trek across the Nullabor following some outstanding efforts in the recent Fremantle and WA Pacing Cups.
The David Thompson trained gelding has drawn awkwardly, gate nine, the inside of the second-line if the emergency doesn’t secure a start but will be handled by Victoria Cup winning reinsperson Kate Gath.
Leading conditioner Emma Stewart is heavily represented with a trio of talent including Philadelphia Man, Guaranteed and Restrepo.
All three pacers possess sheer power combined with a silky skill set and will be heavily respected.
Philadelphia Man has drawn gate four while Guaranteed (gate 10) and Restrepo (gate 13) have second-line positions.
New Zealand bred pacers Franco Ledger and Im Corzin Terror both forced their way into the final field courtesy of their victories in the Shepparton and Ballarat Cups respectively.
The Geoff Webster prepared Franco Ledger will start from gate two while the Amanda Grieve trained Im Corzin Terror landed gate five.
And highly touted pacer Lennytheshark faces his baptism of fire when he tackles Grand Circuit racing for the first time in his highly decorated career, the David Aiken trained pacer has drawn ideally in gate one and will strip fitter following his first-up third in last week’s Shepparton Cup.
Six competing drivers in Saturday’s Victoria Cup are previous winners including Luke McCarthy (For A Reason & Mr Feelgood), Dexter Dunn (Bettors Strike), Kate Gath (Caribbean Blaster), Mark Purdon (Young Rufus), Gavin Lang (Robin Hood) and Chris Alford (Golden Reign).
Since being staged in 1974, the Victoria Cup honour roll boats some of the greatest names of the sport and another great name will be added this weekend.
