The Victoria Cup has always created interest.
Big interest.
First run in 1974 at the Melbourne Showgrounds and won by King’s Mead, the great race has undergone many changes during its 41 year history.
Following the victory of King Frost the following year, the race was then switched to Moonee Valley where it remained until 2008 before ultimately moving to the new home of harness racing in Victoria – TABCORP Park, Melton.
After relocating to Moonee Valley, the New South Wales trained pacers dominated with victories from the likes of Don’t Retreat, Paleface Adios, Koala King and Frosty Imp.
The great Koala King remains the only pacer to win the event three times – 1978/79 & 80.
During the 1980’s, the tide turned and the burgeoning force of Bob and Vin Knight would soon dominate their home state feature winning six of the next eight editions.
The incomparable Popular Alm scored back to back victories in 1982/83 before the mighty Preux Chevalier halted their bid in 1984 for a third straight year when he downed Panyan.
The race was not held in 1985/86.
But that enabled the Knight stable to restock and reload their impressive stable and the rugged pacer Bag Limit was able to claim back to back victories in 1987/88.
Next up, the mighty but injury prone Sinbad Bay tasted success in 1989 when handled by Brian Gath downing the kiwi raiders Kylies Hero and Luxury Liner.
Sinbad Bay would win again in 1991.
The 1990’s was all about the New Zealand pacers and the Victoria Cup; they swarmed upon Melbourne and dominated year after year.
Outstanding types Franco Ice, Master Musician, Chokin, Desperate Comment (x 2), Brabham and Holmes DG all came, saw and conquered.
Only Golden Reign in 1995 could stop the money heading across the Tasman.
In the new millennium, order was restored with victories from Breenys Fella, Shakamaker and Jofess before Young Rufus returned for Mark Purdon and took another Cup back to New Zealand.
Double Identity, Sokyola, Robin Hood and Melpark Major all landed themselves a Victoria Cup at Moonee Valley before the relocation to Melton.
The state of Queensland also got in on the act with victories from Sovereign Cloud (1990) which left connections taking home more than the silverware following an unbelievable betting plunge.
Champion pacers Be Good Johnny (2005) and Blacks A Fake (2006) also claimed the great race for their sunshine state connections.
With the move to Melton, the kiwi’s struck instantly following the victory of Bettors Strike while former North American Mr Feelgood won the following year.
Victorian pacers Smoken Up and Caribbean Blaster both scored excellent victories while the comeback pacer at the time For A Reason grabbed another feature race triumph before master New Zealand horseman Cran Dalgety claimed his 4th Cup trophy when Christen Me scored in 2015.
Dalgety also prepared dual winner Desperate Comment and Bettors Strike.
Last year, the David Aiken prepared Lennytheshark scored a stunning victory downing Smolda in a titanic struggle.
On Saturday night, the Gr.1 $400,000 Eynesbury Victoria Cup will be staged, the fifth leg of the 2016/17 Australian Pacing Gold Grand Circuit season and it shapes as another Trans-Tasman thriller.
Boom four-year-old pacer Lazarus is looking to provide his champion trainer/driver Mark Purdon with his third Victoria Cup trophy following triumphs with Brabham (1998) and Young Rufus (2003).
If successful, Lazarus will also claim the outright lead in the APG Grand Circuit following his success in the New Zealand Cup last November.
The Bettors Delight entire will start from gate six in the 2240m mobile start feature.
Team Aiken have an excellent chance of claiming back to back trophies as they prepare speed machine Hectorjayjay but he must overcome a second-line draw after landing gate nine.
The David Aiken trained and Josh Aiken star is a last start winner of the Shepparton Cup two weeks ago.
The last father/son combination to win the Victoria Cup was Ted and Craig Demmler back in 2000.
Another father/son combination chasing another Victoria Cup trophy is the Sydney based John and Luke McCarthy, the respected horsemen have Bling It On and Allblack Stride lining up and both have drawn awkwardly off the second-line.
Bling It On has drawn gate eight while Allblack Stride wears saddlecloth number 13.
John scored with Be Good Johnny (2005) while Luke has won it twice via Mr Feelgood (2010) and For A Reason (2013).
Also representing Sydney is the improving Mach Doro for Craig Cross and Chris Geary, the last start Menangle winner has landed the coveted inside gate.
Perth pacer John Of Arc starts from gate seven, the outside of the front-line for trainer Clive Dalton and legendary reinsman Chris Lewis.
Unbelievably, Lewis has never driven a Victoria Cup winner.
In fact, the only Perth trained winner of the Victoria Cup is Preux Chevalier who scored thirty-three years ago.
Leading trainer Emma Stewart has two runners in the Cup with her stable represented by Major Secret (gate 5) and Young Modern (gate 11).
The one and only female trained winner of a Victoria Cup was Blacks A Fake, prepared by Natalie Rasmussen.
Mark Pitt will drive Major Secret while Gavin Lang chases his second Cup trophy when he partners Young Modern.
Lang scored in 2007 aboard Robin Hood.
Amanda Turnbull is hoping to become the fourth female driver to land the prize when she partners last start winner Tact Tate (gate 4) for trainer Russell Jack.
Successful female drivers are Natalie Rasmussen (Blacks A Fake), Amy Tubbs (Melpark Major) and Kate Gath (Caribbean Blaster).
Chris Alford is chasing his third Cup victory and is looking for back to back victories, the champion reinsman will partner emerging star Cruz Bromac (gate 3) for trainer Dean Braun.
Alford scored last year with Lennytheshark while he was also successful with Golden Reign in 1995.
Star reinsmen Greg Sugars and Anthony Butt are both chasing their first victory in the Cup, Sugars will partner the Vince Vallelonga trained Major Crocker (gate 2) while Butt handles the Brent Lilley trained Messini (gate 10).
The Victoria Cup is listed as race 8 on the program and scheduled to start at 9.32pm local time.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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