New South Wales superstar Expensive Ego, which controversially lost last year's Inter Dominion final on protest, will launch his Summer of Glory Carnival campaign in Saturday night's $110,000 Ballarat Pacing Cup.
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His appearance sets up a mouth-watering clash wth Victorian champion Lochinvar Art, which is shooting for a second consecutive win the group 1 event.
Trained by Belinda McCarthy, Expensive Ego has an imposing record with 21 wins in 30 starts, including a clean sweep of three heats in the Inter Dominion championship in NSW in November-December.
He crossed the line first in the final, only to lose the race in the stewards' room.
Lochinvar Art is having his second start after having a year off with injury.
He returned in his hometown Shepparton Gold Cup on Saturday, only to be run down by Expensive Ego's stablemate Spirit of St Louis, which is also going to Ballarat.
The star-studded line-up for the PETstock Ballarat Cup also features former New Zealand mare Amazing Dream, while Cardigan trainer Emma Stewart has Demon Delight engaged.