So much to come and it’s just around the corner

Now we draw breath, but not for long.

What a fantastic past five months it’s been, starting from the Victoria Cup, through the NZ Cup Week, into an Inter Dominion then Hunter Cup and, most recently, the Miracle Mile.

Traditionally, this has been down time, at least for the Grand Circuit stars.

But all that has changed with the advent of firstly NZ’s $1 million The Race at Cambridge and now the $1 million Nullarbor at Gloucester Park.

They are just around the corner on April 14. Yes, that’s right, the same night. That’s not ideal, but it’s a topic for another column.

The fact is both races carry serious coin and will ensure most of our top open-class pacers will get a shorter breather now, but swing straight back into action to chase one of those slot races.

It’s really this week where things will hot-up as far as slot holders locking down runners for the races.

Let’s start with The Race first. Six of the 10 slots still remain open.

Those confirmed so far are Old Town Road, Self Assured, Akuta and the lone Aussie in Better Eclipse.

Ladbrokes had taken Rock N Roll Doo, but he’s gone to the paddock so that slot is back in play.

Dual NZ Cup winner Copy That is a moral to take a slot, but only if he proves he has recovered from his issues following a Hunter Cup hiccup on February 4.

B D Joe looks another lock given his strong Kiwi form and fighting second in the “consolation” of the Miracle Mile last Saturday night.

With a worrying lack of depth in NZ’s open class ranks, much of the focus for the remaining slots will be in Australia.

But many of the biggest Aussie names have ruled out or will go to WA (more on that soon).

Emma Stewart said big guns Honulua Bay, Captain Ravishing and Mach Dan won’t tackle either race. The Queensland Winter riches await Honolua Bay, while all attention is on the inaugural $2.1 million TAB Eureka with Captain Ravishing.

Mach Dan is a surprise given he went across last year, but owner Danny Zavitsanos rightly pointed to the hectic racing schedule he’s had through the Inter Dominion, Hunter Cup and Miracle. “You can’t run in everything,” he said.

So, that really leaves Team McCarthy and Jason Grimson’s stable.

Team McCarthy already has Spirit Of St Louis locked in for the Nullarbor. That means Expensive Ego and Bondi Lockdown are their possibles for NZ.

Both are certainly good enough and are sure to attract loads of interest from anxious slot holders.

Grimson also won the inaugural The Race last year with Majestic Cruiser and openly admits his love for chasing big races across the ditch.

His contenders, in order of credentials, for another tilt at The Race look to be: Inter Dominion winner I Cast No Shadow, the emerging and exciting Major Meister and the promising former Kiwi pacer Betterzippit.

Whatever way you look at, NZ is easier to get to and looks like being slightly the stronger of the two races.

That’s largely driven by the trio of Kiwi stars already confirmed – Self Assured, Old Town Road and Akuta – and the possible addition of compatriots like Copy That and B D Joe.

Gloucester Park’s Nullarbor may not have many “raiders” with only Spirit Of St Louis confirmed from outside of the host state so far.

The locals locked-in for slots so far are Magnificent Storm and Lavra Joe, but all going well you can be sure the likes of Diego, Jumpingjackmac and Mighty Ronaldo will be snapped-up as well.

We get another breather after the two big slot races before arguably the biggest Queensland Constellations (aka Winter Carnival) will dominate June and July.

All the while, the build-up to what shapes as THE biggest race of the year – possibly for many years – is run.

That’s the inaugural TAB Eureka at Menangle on September 2.

Newly crowned Miracle Mile hero Catch A Wave, triple Derby winner Leap To Fame and the brilliant Captain Ravishing all coming together in the same race for the first time will be awesome.

Add in the likes of the Cantfindabettorman, The Lost Storm, School Captain, Encipher and maybe even unbeaten filly Major Delight and you’ve got the makings of something very special.

by Adam Hamilton for Harness Racing Victoria