His trainer Lane Justice confirmed yesterday that Smoken Up was being set for the Bray Raceway assignment.

Smoken Up was a luckless fifth in the group one event last year.

The Melton-based Justice told The Courier that Smoken Up had been a victim of circumstances on that occasion.

“It just didn’t work out.”

Smoken Up charged forward from gate six, but was unable to get past a fired-up Villagem in front.

This left Smoken Up in the deathseat and after doing all the chasing in the breeze he was a spent force with 400m to run.

New Zealander Stunin Cullen came from near the rear of the field to swamp Power of Tara in a Kiwi quinella, with Village Of Dreams third. Justice said the Ballarat Pacing Cup fitted ideally into Smoken Up’s program.

“There’s no reason you wouldn’t go there.”

Smoken Up has not raced since taking out the Victoria Cup at Melton on December 17.

The reigning Miracle Mile champion resumes in the group 1 $100,000 South Australian Cup in Adelaide tomorrow night – two weeks before the Australasian Grand Circuit event in Ballarat.

Justice is ultimately setting the nine-year-old for another crack at the Inter-Dominion Pacing Championship in Perth from February 17.

Greg Sugars will drive Smoken Up in Ballarat, with Justice still sidelined with two broken ankles after a race fall at Melton.

Justice has won a host of group 1 events in Australia and New Zealand with Smoken Up and the now retired Sokyola, but the Ballarat Pacing Cup is one which has so far eluded him.

Sokyola has three starts in the race for a second in 2004. This will be Smoken Up’s second attempt.

Ballarat and District Trotting Club chief executive officer Paul Rowse was hoping to see a clash between Smoken Up and new sensation Sushi Sushi in the cup.

To his disappointment this will not eventuate.

Sushi Sushi connections have chosen to focus on four-year-old events and stretch his winning sequence which stands at 13.