The 2015/16 Australian Pacing Gold Grand Circuit is drawing to a climactic finish.
Last week’s Victoria Cup hero Lennytheshark leads the race to be crowned champion open class pacer this term but it’s far from a done deal.
With his success in the Inter Dominion and the Victoria Cup, the David Aiken trained star heads to the final leg of the season, the Gr.1 $750,000 Miracle Mile at Menangle on February 28 with a healthy lead over his rivals.
It’s a lead but he’s not across the line and those rivals won’t go quietly.
Lennytheshark has banked 200 points, 40 clear of his nearest rival, Kiwi star Smolda while WA Pacing Cup winner My Hard Copy sits in third with 108 points.
The latter both start this weekend in the Gr.1 $500,000 Del Re National A G Hunter Cup at Melton on Saturday, another leg of the Grand Circuit series.
And both pacers boast terrific claims of winning the 3280m stand-start feature and catapulting Lennytheshark with the one leg remaining.
Smolda took down Lennytheshark in the Ballarat Cup two starts ago before the roles were reversed in last week’s Victoria Cup and many expect the Mark Purdon prepared pacer is the horse to beat this weekend.
His two mile stand start form is solid with placing’s already this season in both the New Zealand and Auckland Cups.
Another New Zealand trained pacer commanding respect is the Tony Herlihy trained Ohoka Punter, a winner of the Shepparton Cup in track record time two starts ago before scoring comfortable again last week in the Pure Steel.
The former Victoria Derby winner will be handled by champion reinsman Anthony Butt, a winner of 7 previous Hunter Cups.
Mossdale Conner, fresh from his excellent effort in last week’s Victoria Cup with his fast finishing third behind Lennytheshark and Smolda is another Kiwi trained star with solid credentials.
The Greg Hope trained six-year-old has emerged strongly this season with placing’s in the New Zealand and Victoria Cups plus the New Zealand FFA.
Franco Nelson is no stranger to stand-start features with a placing in the 2014 New Zealand Cup before running an almighty fourth in the latest edition after starting first-up after several months and has now joined the stables of Tim Butt, a five times Hunter Cup winning conditioner.
Punters should closely respect New Zealand bred pacers after winning 16 of the past 23 editions while 14 have been trained across the ditch.
The last Perth trained winner of the Hunter Cup was Another Party back in 2001 for the Reed family and the sandgropers are pinning their faith in My Hard Copy and Jason Rulz.
My Hard Copy carries excellent recent form in his home start and can be forgiven for his effort last week in the Victoria Cup after drawing poorly while Jason Rulz has excellent stand-start form and is aiming to break maiden ranks on Australian soil.
Former South Australian horseman Geoff Webster has a dual pronged attack with Franco Ledger and Flaming Flutter; both boast excellent stand-start form.
Franco Ledger was runner-up last year behind Arden Rooney while Flaming Flutter has been twice placed in the Inter Dominion.
The Emma Stewart trained Yankee Rockstar is chasing his biggest victory and after winning the Stawell Cup in track record time four starts ago, his scintillating victory last week at Melton gives his a great chance.
Im Corzin Terror is a multiple Country Cup winner and thrives under the stand-start conditions, luck has deserted him at his past couple of starts but can’t be treated lightly here.
Popular pacer Messini always performs on the big stage and his effort last week in the Victoria Cup was great, a proven stand-start performer who rates highly.
Recent Geelong Cup winner It Is Billy is looking for another Cup victory and the proven stand-start performer has a knockout chance.
Five Star Anvil could provide talented young reinsman Zac Phillips with his biggest moment in the sport but faces a big challenge after drawing awkwardly on the second-line.
Tasmanian owned pacer Star Chamber is a stand-start specialist and although yet to win at Melton, he has blowout claims.
The last Australian bred pacer to claim victory in the Hunter Cup was the greatest champion of all in Blacks A Fake who won it back in 2008 after starting from a massive handicap of 30m defeating Smoken Up.
This edition of the Hunter Cup will be historic in many ways and should not be missed, its race 7 on the program and timed to start at 9.32pm local time.
The Hunter Cup will switch back to mobile start conditions next year.
