Ballarat and District Trotting Club last night announced a $20,000 increase in stakemoney - making it harness racing's richest country cup in Australia.

To be run on Saturday, January 28, the cup will again be the major lead-up event to the A G Hunter Cup Carnival at Moonee Valley.

The boost in stakemoney adds to what will be the highest profile meeting in the club's history.

The card will also feature three Victoria Pacers' Derby heats and two Inter-Dominion Trotting Championship heats.

This will be the second year derby heats have been run on cup night, but the Inter-Dominion heats will be a first.

Club president Paul James, who announced the stake rise at the BDTC annual meeting, said the Ballarat Pacing Cup had grown into one of the most prestigious events on the Australasian harness racing calendar - each year

attracting the cream of Australia's and New Zealand's pacers.

He said the cup honour roll spoke for itself, with the likes of New Zealanders Just An Excuse and Yulestar, and Australian champions Shakamaker, Jofess and Our Sir Vancelot taking out the race in the past decade.

Mr James said with the group one Ballarat Pacing Cup being the major prelude to the $500,000 Hunter Cup, it was important to continue lifting its profile and ability to attract the best field possible.

This is the second substantial stakemoney increase for the cup in two years, with the race being worth $75,000 in 2004 and $105,000 last year.

In 2001 the cup carried $40,000 in stakes.

As well as the cup, Mr James also announced stake increases for Ballarat's other three feature events.

The A J Prendergast Memorial Oaks, John Slack Memorial Trotters' Cup and Coca-Cola Amatil Discretionary Cup will each be worth $20,000 - up from $15,000.

Mr James said the BDTC had budgeted for a $40,000 or 17 per cent increase in its contribution to stakes for 2005-06.

He said this season would be something special.

Mr James said Bray Raceway had already been the venue for Australasian Breeders' Crown heats and in the new year there would be a $300,000 Australian Pacing Gold final, the Sapling Stakes, Vicbred Super Series semi-finals

and Tontine Series finals for pacers and trotters carrying record stakes.

He said this would be a season to remember.