The McCarthys will send about eight runners in the Trans Tasman battle at Bray Raceway.

Their line-up features male three-year-olds Lettucerockthem and Bling It On, three-year-old fillies Nike Franco and Spicy Stride, male two-year-olds Ominous Warning and Birdy Mach, and three-year-old fillies Smooth Showgirl and Bamako Mali.

The McCarthy stable will provide the toughest opposition for New Zealand brothers Mark and Barry Purdon, and Cran Dalgety.

Mark Purdon has potentially two of the superstars of the series – two-year-old colt and two-year-old filly Lindagrace.

He also has Ballarat heat winning two-year-old filly Big Lucy and two-year-old colt Kept Under Wraps engaged.

Barry Purdon has booming three-year-old colt Our Sky Major and three-year-old filly Rocknroll Arden.

Dalgety has just the one starter in two-year-old filly Katy Perry, but she looms as a leading contender.

Ballarat’s Emma Stewart will fly the hometown flag along with Michael Stanley and David Murphy

Stewart’s runners are all three-year-old fillies, with multiple group 1 winner Whereibylong heading up a team also featuring Punch Line and Tuscan Breeze.

Stanley will face the starter with two-year-old filly Soho Tokyo, which won a heat in Ballarat, while Murphy has three-year-old filly Whatahottie.

SEMI-FINALS (in barrier order):

2YO COLTS/GELDINGS (1): Dreamtime Spirit (D N Moran), Jodan (C J Maggs), Hez The One (D K Harding), Artistic Flite (J P McCarthy), Burnaholeinmypocket (K M Gath), Its Just Kenny (S C Stewart), Show Me The Bling (N R Jack), Midnitedelite (D K Douglas) , Kept Under Wraps (G R Sugars), Beaudiene Bill (R P Morris), Ominous Warning (L A McCarthy), Bongiorno Boys (emerg) (C J Maggs), A Matter Of Course (D K Douglas) 

2YO FILLIES (1): Lettucesomewhere (R P Morris), The Final Frontier (D J Druitt), Smooth Showgirl (L A McCarthy), Linda Lovegrace (G R Sugars), Niki No No (G R Sugars), Butterfly Princess (C A McDowell), Enjay Speedstar (D K Douglas), Ricks Shadow (J D Attard), Keayang Ebonyrose (emerg), (J P Lee), Cyclone Kate (J J Caldow), Missed By Red (A J Turnbull), Ameretto (A M Siejka), Kira Jo (E Brosnan)

3YO FILLIES (1): Kiss Kenny (D Jack), The Waratah (R K Bartley), Spicy Stride (J P McCarthy), Just Cala (A J Turnbull), Punch Line, Somedreamsomewhere (G R Sugars), Ocean Diva (B P Fitzpatrick), Our Artistic Leigh (R P Morris), Ultimate CC (E Brosnan), Rocknroll Arden (C T Demmler),

2YO COLTS/GELDINGS (2): Stening (J J Caldow), Virgil Hilts (L Miles), Follow The Stars (C A Alford), Controversial (L R Panella), Iceobar (C A Alford), Pompidou (R P Morris), Boasson Hagen (C D Salter), Mojo Major (A M Ashwood), Bongiorno Boys (emerg), (C J Maggs), Avalon Castle (C A Alford), My Field Marshal (A M Butt), Birdy Mach (L A McCarthy), Francisco De Gore (J J Alchin)

3YO FILLIES (2): Tuscan Breeze, Whatahottie (D A Murphy), My Crazy Heart (A M Siejka), Our Santa Catalina (D N Moran), Nike Franco (L A McCarthy), Whereibylong (G Lang), Starzzzinthenight (R P Morris), Quick Draft (C A Alford), Madison Louise (G R Sugars), Lettucedance (K A Turner), Barynya (R L Hillier)

2YO FILLIES (2): Keayang Ebonyrose (emerg), (J P Lee), Glamour Art (A A Chisholm), Glenferrie Blade (J N Quinlan), BIG LUCY (C A Alford), Katy Perry (D J Dunn), Miss Rocknroll (N R Jack), Feel The Faith (G W Dixon), Gotta Glow (C A McDowell), Bamako Mali (L A McCarthy), Glory Daze (G Lang), Lady Willoughby (C D Voak), Joannes A Delight (A M Butt), Soho Tokyo (M I Stanley), 

3YO COLTS/GELDINGS: Will Mach My Word (E Brosnan), Messini (C A Alford), Blackwarrior, Major Crocker (G R Sugars), Theartofconfusion (Z M Phillips), Master Mach Manus (B R Gath), Dentona (G Lang), Lettucerockthem (L A McCarthy), Alleluia (G W Dixon), Highest Mountain (A J Turnbull), Braeview Bomber (M L Woodley), Ideal Legacy (emerg), (M C Muscat), My General Lee (N R Jack)

3YO COLTS/GELDINGS: Saloon Passage (N P Hurst), Adam Cartwright, Our Sky Major (C T Demmler), Admiral Joy (G R Sugars), Hectorjayjay (S M Walker), Mighty Gift (A J Turnbull), Resurgent Spirit (T E Rattray), In Runaway Bay (M C Muscat), Ideal Majority (E Brosnan), Bling It On (L A McCarthy), Jilliby Jagger (G A Craven), Handsome Major (N R Jack), Ideal Legacy (emerg), (M C Muscat)

david.brehaut@fairfaxmedia.com.au