The 1997 A G Hunter Cup, a race full of surprises

The A.G. Hunter Cup – Victoria’s feature open class race for the season is almost upon us to be held at Melton Entertainment Park on Saturday, February 1.

The Grand circuit classic should attract the best harness racing horses available including the latest Inter Dominion winner Don Hugo and hopefully duel Inter Dominion victor Queensland sensation Leap To Fame.

The Hunter Cup has always drawn the best possible field over the years with a ‘whos who’ of Australian and New Zealand’s best striving for success.

Looking back in time, I have highlighted the 1997 Standing Start edition – the $450,000 A.G. Hunter Cup ‘The Members Race’ sponsored by the Victoria Harness Racing Club over 3280 metres as one of the greats which consisted of a stellar field including no less than ten Kiwi’s and two from WA as well as local hopes Surfing Safari and Southern Salute.

The field (in barrier order) was:

Southern Salute                    Fabian Bigmore

Surfing Safari                        Brian Gath

No Equal                                Ted Demmler

Whale Of A Tale                    Ahmed Taiba

Sovereign Hill                        Darren Hancock

Rifleman                                 Emergency

Southern Knight                    Dudley Anderson         Front

The Suleiman                        Michael Langdon

Surprise Package                 Tony Herlihy

Burlington Bertie                  John Caldow

Brabham                                Mark Purdon

Anvils Star                             Gavin Lang

Norms Daughter                   Chris Lewis                  10m

Iraklis                                     Ricky May                    20m

Desperate Comment            Graeme Lang               30m

Unfortunately the only video of the race is approaching the bell where Berlington Bertie after a swift beginning from 10 meters led was gifted the lead from slick beginner Southern Salute with Surfing Safari outside him.

Whale Of A Tale (one/one), Surprise Package (one/two), Anvils Star (one/three) being followed up by The Suleiman and Iraklis who after flying away galloped when his hopple shorteners failed to release going back through the field with Norms Daughter last in the running line and Desperate Comment ahead of her. followed by No Equal, Brabham and Southern Knight which missed away all on the inside.

Tony Herlihy was first to make a move in the straight with a circuit to travel easing three wide on Surprise Package with Anvils Star immediately latching to his back and Sovereign Hill, The Suleiman and Iraklis trailing the pair.

With runs coming from all directions approaching the final bend, Surfing Safari took a slender lead to assume control with Surprise Package boxing on and Anvils Star in hot pursuit momentarily checking Surprise Package before sweeping to the front on turning. Hailed the winner halfway up the running as Sovereign Cloud and Iraklis six wide all surged late with Desperate Comment forcing a passage inside the pair.

Surprise Package after gaining his composure and taking a narrow opening finished at 100 miles an hour to gain the day by a half head from Anvils Star with Sovereign Hill a great third a neck away. Iraklis was a neck-back fourth and Desperate Comment fifth in a thrilling finale which had the large crowd on their toes.

In a last half mile of 58.4 seconds, Surprise Package trained in Auckland by Barry for himself and wife Katrina returned a mile rate of 2-02.4.

That was another chapter to the Hunter Cup history – bring on the next one.

by Len Baker, for Harness Racing Victoria