Amazing field assembled for A. G. Hunter Cup

An amazing harness racing field has been assembled for Saturday night’s Sportsbet A. G. Hunter Cup.

Harness Racing Victoria handicappers mulled over the nominations across the weekend and into Monday before declaring the line-up of 12 and one emergency that will tackle the Grand Circuit classic this Saturday night at Melton Entertainment Park.

In all, 27 nominations for the race were received before megastar pacer Catch A Wave and Rocknroll Hammer were withdrawn by connections.

The big news is that Swayzee is there to continue his rivalry with half-brother and last year’s champion Leap To Fame as trainer Jason Grimson looks to add another of the sport’s majors to his bulging trophy cabinet.

Reigning Inter Dominion winner Don Hugo is locked in for New South Wales trainer-driver Luke McCarthy, while New Zealand is represented by raiders Dont Stop Dreaming (Mark and Nathan Purdon), Tact Mcleod (Mark Jones) and Republican Party (Cran and Chrissie Dalgety).

Scott Ewen’s country cups king Bulletproof Boy will take his place alongside last year’s Hunter Cup third placegetter Max Delight (David Aiken) and Shepparton Gold Cup champion Kanena Provlima (Kerryann Morris), with Captains Knock (Brad Hewitt), Cantfindabettorman (Isabel Walsh) and Mach Dan (Emma Stewart) rounding out the final field. Andy Gath’s Ballarat Pacing Cup runner-up Hector is the emergency.

Eight of the 12 starters are Group 1 winners.

The Yabby Dam Farms Great Southern Star is the other major feature on Saturday night’s blockbuster Melton card, which will be broadcast on Racing.com’s free-to-air channels 68 and 78.

This unique race pits horses in two heats early in the meeting before qualifiers from each back up and race in a Group 1 final later in the night.

The barrier draw for the Hunter Cup and field reveals for heats of the Great Southern Star will take place on Sky Racing from 9am Tuesday.

by Tim O’Connor for Harness Racing Victoria