This Friday night Tabcorp Park, Victoria is set to host the next major race on the Australian pacing calendar and the next leg of the Barastoc Grand Circuit Series, the prestigious $400 000 Group 1 SEW-Eurodrive Victoria Cup.
Run for the first time at the Melton venue, the Victoria Cup is made up of a quality field of pacers including last year’s winner Melpark Major. Melpark Major blew away the competition in 2008 breaking the track record and is back again to defend his title this year.
The competition will be tough as the reigning champ will come up against stars like Miracle Mile winner Monkey King from New Zealand and the American import boasting an Inter Dominion win under his belt, Mr Feelgood. Monkey King will have to overcome the wide barrier of 13 while Mr Feelgood drew ideally with barrier two.
Other headlining hopefuls to give Melpark Major a run for his money include record-holder for the most Australasian prizemoney earned Blacks A Fake, the locally trained hero Smoken Up and fresh from a win in the Treuer Memorial last Saturday night, Washakie. Smoken Up will have the advantage of the inside running after drawing barrier one.
Bold Cruiser earned his start in the Victoria Cup after claiming victory in the Popular Alm Free-For-All last week by protest while Cranbourne Cup winner Bettors Strike is another starting after a ballot-exempt victory.
The other feature pacing event on the night is the $40 000 Group 3 MHRC Victoria Sires Classic scheduled as race five, while the big trotting event and other Group 1 race feature is the $50 000 Aldebaran Park Stud Bill Collins Trotters Sprint (race six).
The SEW-Eurodrive Victoria Cup will run as race eight on the night’s elite 10-event programme and is due to start at 9:40pm (VIC).
Tabcorp Park Race Programme Friday December 11:
| Race # | Race Name | Prizemoney | Distance | Class | Time (VIC) |
| 1 | Tabcorp Park Melton Pace | $15 000 | 2240m | M1 to M2 | 6:05pm |
| 2 | SEW-Eurodrive Industrial Automation Pace | $15 000 | 2240m | M0 to M1 | 6:40pm |
| 3 | BIG6 Pace | $15 000 | 1720m | M0 only | 7:10pm |
| 4 | SEW-Eurodrive Driving The Future Pacers Hcp. | $15 000 | 2240m | M0 or better | 7:40pm |
| 5 | MHRC Victoria Sires Classic (Group 3) | $40 000 | 2240m | - | 8:10pm |
| 6 | Bill Collins Trotters Sprint (Group 1) | $50 000 | 1720m | TM0 or better | 8:40pm |
| 7 | SEW-Eurodrive Victoria Cup Consolation | $20 000 | 2240m | M0 or better | 9:10pm |
| 8 | SEW-Eurodrive Victoria Cup (Group 1) | $400 000 | 2240m | M0 or better | 9:40pm |
| 9 | SEW-Eurodrive 24 Hour Service Claiming Pace | $8 000 | 2240m | - | 10:10pm |
| 10 | SEW-Eurodrive Driving the World 4YO Trot | $8 000 | 2240m | T1 to T4 | 10:40pm |
2009 SEW-Eurodrive Victoria Cup Final Field:
# |
Form |
Horse |
Trainer |
Other Engagement |
Driver |
Class |
| 1 | 12132 |
SMOKEN UP (NZ) |
L J Justice | - | Lance Justice | C25 M20 |
| 2 | 57042 |
MR FEELGOOD (USA) |
T G Butt | - | Anthony Butt | C21 M16 |
| 3 | 11117 |
BLACKS A FAKE |
N C Rasmussen | - | Natalie Rasmussen | C42 M34 |
| 4 | 63194 |
CINCINNATI KID (NZ) |
M Peace | - | Mark Peace | C16 M11 |
| 5 | 21215 |
MELPARK MAJOR |
A R Tubbs | - | Amy Tubbs | C17 M12 |
| 6 | 42843 |
BE GOOD JOHNNY |
J P McCarthy | - | John McCarthy | C27 M22 |
| 7 | 10361 |
WASHAKIE (NZ) |
J P McCarthy | - | John McCarthy | C18 M13 |
| Second Row: | ||||||
| 8 | 111s0 |
MAFFIOSO (Emergency 1) |
PW Tonkin | Tabpark 11/12/2009 | Chris Alford | C13 M7 |
| 9 | 41621 |
BETTORS STRIKE (NZ) |
C T Dalgety | - | Dexter Dunn | C11 M3 |
| 10 | 82471 |
BOLD CRUISER (NZ) |
G F Douglas | - | Daryl Douglas | C17 M12 |
| 11 | 22425 |
CANT BLUFF ME |
I C Wilson | - | Jim Douglass | C12 M5 |
| 12 | 11212 |
OHOKA NEVADA (NZ) |
A L Peacock | - | Damian Wilson | C8 M4 |
| 13 | 12111 |
MONKEY KING (NZ) |
B R Hill | - | Ricky May | C22 M16 |