As the final lead-up to the rich $400,000 AG Hunter Cup, the grand circuit event will continue the trend of attracting many of the big players from Australia and New Zealand.

Depth has been the key to taking the Ballarat Pacing Cup, 2710 metres, to its current stature.

The cup's honour roll is like a who's who of Australasian harness racing.

Just as impressive over the past decade, though, is the list of pacers that have had to settle for second in the feature event at Bray Raceway.

These include:

2009 - Mr Feelgood: Inter-Dominion champion.

2008 - Blacks A Fake: three-time Inter-Dominion champion.

2007 - Flashing Red: New Zealand Trotting Cup and Auckland Cup winner, plus 2005 Ballarat Pacing Cup.

2006 - Howard Bromac: Auckland Cup, NZ Free-For-All.

2005 - Mister DG: Hunter Cup winner.

2004 - Sokyola: two-time Miracle Mile winner.

2003 - Double Identity: Victoria Cup and Miracle Mile winner.

So strong are the nominations that the cup might again have an equally well-credentialled runner-up on Saturday night.

Five grand circuit winners Be Good Johnny, Mister Swinger, Mister Zion, Mr Feelgood and Smoken Up head the 23 entries.

New South Wales millionaire Karloo Mick and last-start Bendigo Cup winner Sammy Maguire, and Kiwi raiders Bondy and Our Awesome Armbro are also nominated.

The cup field will be announced this morning.

Ballarat and District Trotting Club is having a breakfast at Bray Raceway to coincide with the barrier draw, which will take place before 9am.

The Ballarat Pacing Cup meeting is the second night of Harness Racing Victoria's ``Nights Of Glory'', which begins at Melton on Friday night and continues with the Hunter Cup and Victoria Derby at Moonee Valley on Saturday,

February 6.

BALLARAT PACING CUP NOMINATIONS: Albert Jaccka (trained by Tim Bolitho), Baltic Ice (Glenn Freeman), Be Good Johnny (John McCarthy), Bondy (David Butt), Broadway Play (Shannon McLean), Cincinnati Kid (Mark

Peace), I Am Sam (Alan Tubbs), Itsokaytobefake (John McCarthy), Karloo Mick (Barry Lew), Karlsruhe (David Aiken), Keayang Hanover (Margaret Lee), Make Waves (Russell Cook), Master of Disguise (David Lewis), Mister Swinger

(Geoff Webster), Mister Zion (Geoff Webster), Mr Feelgood (Tim Butt), Our Awesome Armbro (Geoff Small), Our Malabar (Bob Mellsop), Pacific Charm (Lisa Miles), Sammy Maguire (Graeme Lang), Smoken Up (Lance Justice),

Tear It All Away (Geoff Webster), Ti Vogliobene (Greg Norman).