The 2025 Hunter Cup

[Messenger]

Catch A Wave has been scratched from Saturday's Melton Classic so you would think that there is no way he could compete in the Hunter first up

Swayzee has now been entered for the race!

[trish]

Wow , really. CAW out can only mean a few things.
But JG does some interesting things. How far is the race?

[trish]

What can beat LTF in the Hunter Cup.
Bad luck, interference , a few other thing I guess.
He is a great horse.

[Messenger]

Tact McLeod would have to draw 1 so that he got the easiest possible lead, LTF would have to draw the 2nd line and have to work a bit to get the lead (not because of Tact - he must not expend any energy until the sprint lane), something would have to pressure LTF in the lead and Then and only then would Tact have a small chance of ambushing him on the line

[Messenger]

There was a story 'Catch A Wave's Hunter Cup dream still alive after Casey scratching' on the HRA news rotation and Andy said that they would decide today but I see he has been withdrawn

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.

HUNTER CUP FIELD

2760m, Saturday night, Melton

BULLETPROOF BOY

CAPTAINS KNOCK

CANTFINDABETTORMAN

DON HUGO

DONT STOP DREAMING

KANENA PROVLIMA

LEAP TO FAME

MACH DAN

MAX DELIGHT

REPUBLICAN PARTY

SWAYZEE

TACT MCLEOD

HECTOR (1st Em)

[trish]

https://harnesslink.com/australia/tricky-draw-for-leap-to-fame-in-hunter-cup/

[trish]

I am going 1 & 2 in the Hunter Cup. LTF's draw is not great. Either 3 pegs or has to go right around them to the death if he gets no luck early & I feel these horses he is up against are pretty good.

[trish]

I read somewhere that the prize money for the HC has halved. True?

[Messenger]

Yes Trish the Hunter is only worth $250k total prizemoney this year - remember Vic are totally broke

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fields/race-fields/?mc=MX010225#MXM01022501

2760m give LTF time to get into the race but it is the worst possible draw and Swayzee will be trying to get there before him

There are probably 5 chances in the race now

[Messenger]

There have been some moves but they are still keeping LTF very safe

[Messenger]

Apparently the following promo/liftout was in the Herald Sun today :p

[Messenger]

I thought I would check out some Republican Party replays on HRNZ
It seems to have had a makeover - can get everything to work BUT NOT a horse enquiry!!!!!!!!!!!!

https://harness.hrnz.co.nz/gws/ws/r/infohorsews/wsd08x

[Messenger]

HRNZ working.
Republican Party has raced in a lot of Stands
Here he is from No.1 in a mobile - showing no speed

https://harness.hrnz.co.nz/gws/ws/r/infohorsews/wsd06x?Arg=hrnzg-Ptype&Arg=RaceVideo&Arg=hrnzg-RacehdrID&Arg=5E4E89B9-CAFF-4848-B933-A3A1D4D72389&Arg=hrnzg-rSite&Arg=TRUE

[Messenger]

Bulletproof Boy scratched
Hector gets a start
and NO - LTF does not move up to the front row

[Messenger]

Has Tact Mcleod lost a leg since last week?
He is now $13
(He opened $5.50)

[Messenger]

Who does Grant Dixon stay with when in Melbourne?

[Messenger]

Good to see John Justice leaving Ewa on his horses
and Michael Stanley going for top drivers for his
I would like to see Aaron Dunn do the same

[Messenger]

It would be good if HRA and HRNZ could share info.
If you click on Carter Dalgety driver of Republican Party, you could be excused for thinking he has only ever had 7 wins and no Gp1's

[Messenger]

Good to see that tonight is on Racing.com CH 68/78

[Messenger]

TrotsVision site apparently playing up - cross to racing.com Ch68/78 people. The coverage has been fantastic

The only problem so far tonight is that 4 races down - 4 leaders have won (we want to convince people that our racing is exciting)

[Messenger]

They have fixed TrotsVision

[trish]

Yes , good racing .
Only 4 under 10 bucks.
You watch an outsider could get up & win this , well maybe.

[Messenger]

Tact Mcleod now out to $31

[trish]

Good race, first 4 top runs. Swayzee & LTF top stayers .

[Messenger]

Great race

[Messenger]

Good to see John Justice leaving Ewa on his horses
and Michael Stanley going for top drivers for his
I would like to see Aaron Dunn do the same

It turns out that Michael Stanley is Suspended. I checked that list first of all but somehow must have missed his name

[trish]

That field would have been brilliant if was also the ID final.

Some good runs from the back......what time did Max Delight run?...huge & DSD help him up for a bit.

[Messenger]

Amazingly the reduction to $250k did not deter the champs.
I half wondered whether there was a 'Help Victoria Out' movement that I was not aware of
I was especially surprised that Swayzee was not saved for the bonus races to come - he can earn more from them
You could not risk reducing the money any further but 'The A.G. Hunter Cup' title would seem to mean more to many participants

[trish]

I won 'The A.G. Hunter Cup' does sound good , even though the trainers did not deter , that race alone was worth the $500 thou it should have been.

Swayzee going around Albury in 12 days for more bonus money , not sure what competition he will get there but you never know. He will win $500 thou just from that race if he wins. Crazy money.

[trish]

The unlucky runner IMO was Republican Party.