Tapp will be in Ballarat to record an edition of "Ïn The Gig" for pay television network Sky Racing.

Tapp will be joined by "In The Gig" co-host and former Ballarat television sports presenter Gareth Hall at the breakfast.

Sport and racing radio station RSN will also again broadcast its breakfast program live from the function with hosts Mick McGuane and Michael Christian.

A highlight of the morning will be the announcement of the $100,000 PETstock Ballarat Pacing Cup field and the barrier draw for next Saturday night.

Ballarat and District Trotting Club will also announce its "Fantasy Ballarat Pacing Cup" field - made up of past winners of the race.

A phantom call by Victoria's premier harness racing race caller Dan Mileicki will reveal the winner of the fantasy cup.

BDTC chief executive officer Paul Rowse said more than 250 would attend the breakfast, which had grown into RSN's biggest breakfast outdoor broadcast event.

"Ït's going to be big - a great way top launch cup week."

Rowse said Cup Night dining packages were close to sold out, with more than 600 bookings across the venue.

He said the demand continued from what had been a busy start to the BDTC's summer carnival, which would continue after the cup on Boxing Day.

The club's carnival which raised money for the 3BA Christmas Appeal on November 18 attracted 3000 people, while a race meeting Thursday night had about 450 dining bookings.

Reigning Inter-Dominion champion Beautide and the Emma Stewart-trained star duo of Guaranteed and Philadelphia Man are set to head up the group 1 Ballarat Pacing Club line-up.

Nominations close on Monday ahead of Tuesday morning's acceptances.

This season's Cup is being run earlier than the usual late January timeslot owing to Harness Racing Victoria's decision to make the Victoria Cup a lead-up event to AG Hunter Cup in a new "Summer of Glory" Carnival at Melton.

This has also resulted in a change of race programming, with the loss of feature standing start event The Pure Steel.

This has been replaced by the $20,000 My Lightning Blue Free-For-All.

However, another group 1 event will be the contested - the $50,000 Dullard Trotters' Cup.

This will also be complemented by the group 3 $40,000 VHRSC Victorian Sires Classic for three-year-olds.

HILLTOP Hustler and Savesomtimetodream again step out in country cup company on Saturday night.

The Michael Stanley-trained Hilltop Hustler and Savesomtimetodream for Paul Rowse clash in the group 1 $100,000 Cranbourne Pacing Cup, 2555m.

Each of the Ballarat hopes are overdue for a win, but run into crack field, featuring Miracle Mile winner Christen Me and a second New Zealander visitor Terror To Love.

Hilltop Hustler has come through the Swan Hill Cup and group 1 Coca Cola Amatil Sprint in Sydney, while Savesomtimetodream also ran at Swan Hill and then went to Kilmore Pacing Cup before the Smoken Up Sprint.

ISABELLE Delacour ($49.40) underlined her liking for short distances with an upset win in the Ballarat Sports Foundation C5-C6 Pace, 1710m, in Ballarat on Thursday.

She motored home from back in the field after a hectic pace had been set in front to rate a career best 1:54.3 for Ross Creek trainer-driver Stephen Clarke.

The six-year-old has nine wins - six over trips less than 2000m - for almost $60,000.

Terang trainer-driver Glen Craven had a double at Bray Raceway, with the promising Jilliby Royal ($1.20 favourite) racing away by 35m in 1:57.9 in the McClelland C0 Pace, 220m, and Jilliby Daphne ($2.80 favourite) also leading all the way in the North Ballarat Sports Club C3-C4 Pace, 2200m.

BALLARAT trainer Emma Stewart had a double at Maryborough trots on Thursday.

Group 2 winner Lovelist ($2.30 favourite) returned from a sp[ell to make it five wins in eight career starts in a 3yo pace, 2190m, and Presidentialsecret ($2,.10 favourite) scored in a C4-C5 pace, 1690m.

In others successes for Ballarat district trots stables, Burrumbeet-based trainer David Barbeitt saluted with Cashwrangs Smoker ($5.80) in a C1 pace, 1780m, at Stawell on Wednesday and No Bettertime ($5.90) won for trainer-driver Nathan Cahir in a 4yo/older pace, 2175m.

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