New Zealand trainers Greg and Nina Hope have indicated AG's White Socks is heading to Australia with the group 1 $110,000 PETstock Ballarat Pacing Cup his initial assignment.

AG's White Socks won two Inter Dominion heats in Auckland last month before finishing fifth in the final.

A multiple group 1 winner, the six-year-old will be making his first visit to Australia.

The Hopes will be looking to continue a NZ domination of the Ballarat Pacing Cup in the past decade.

NZ's Mark Purdon, who in partnership with Natalie Rasmussen, has dominated the cup in the past decade.

Purdon has trained five winners since 2012 - Highview Tommy (2012), Smolda (2016 and 2017), Heaven Rocks (2018) and Thefixer (2019).

Mark Purdon has Thefixer and Chase Auckland as possible starters in Ballarat.

Other Kiwis Tim and Anthony Butt have also produced Stunin Cullen and Mah Sish to win in 2011 and 2013.

Ballarat and District Trotting Club is this year marking the 50^th running of the cup, which was first run and won by Son Of Nancy in 1971.

As part of the celebration, the club is having a breakfast on Tuesday morning at which the cup barrier draw will take place.

Radio station RSN will have a live outside broadcast at the breakfast, which will also launch Harness Racing Victoria "Summer of Glory" Carnival.

Two-time cup-winning trainer and driver Jim O'Sullivan will be a special guest at the launch. O'Sullivan, who was formerly based in Ballarat, won with My Lightning Blue in 1987 and Quite Famous in 1990.

The carnival will continue at Melton with the group 1 $200,000 Victoria Derby and $150,000 Victoria Oaks finals on Saturday, January 25, and group 1 $500,000 AG Hunter Cup and and $250,000 Great Southern Star for trotters on Saturday, February 1.

The cup meeting will also feature heats of the three-year-old classics, the Victoria Derby and Victoria Oaks.

EMMA Stewart's country cup warhorses Phoenix Prince, Tam Major and Code Black go around against in the group 4 $60,000 Shepparton Gold Cup on Saturday night.

Hurricane Harley will represent the Cardigan stable in Sunday's group 3 $35,000 Hamilton Pacing Cup.

Berringa trainers AJ and BJ Tindale have Idealsomemagic engaged in the the Hamilton Cup.