The Purdon and Butt names have become synonymous with the group 1 event over the past decade.

Mark Purdon has trained five winners of the race and driven two, while Anthony Butt has driven three, including two trained by his brother Tim.

With travel between NZ and Australia not as straightforward as it normally is owing to COVID19 restrictions, for the second year in a row there will no NZ-trained starters in the Ballarat Cup.

However, once again the names Purdon and Butt will figure prominently.

Mark Purdon's son Nathan has former Kiwi star mare Amazing Dream engaged and she will be driven by Anthony Butt.

They will be hoping they can produce a repeat of 2017, when Butt drove Smolda to victory in the race for Mark Purdon.

It is never easy when mares take on the males at this level, and she is not helped by a second row draw, but Amazing Dream's credentials stand up as well as any in the field.

Amazing Dream arrived in Australia last year after being dominant against her age and sex

And since arriving she has won the likes of the Rising Sun (beating fellow Cup runners Expensive Ego, Spirit of St Louis and Mach Da Vinci) and Blacks A Fake in Queensland, and Kilmore Pacing Cup.

This is her first start since finishing second in the Cranbourne Cup on December 18.

The Ballarat Pacing Cup has been a target for New Zealanders since the mid-1990s when the likes of Master Musician took on the race. Ten NZ-trained Kiwis have won in the past two decades.

While that will not be added to this year with Nathan Purdon and Anthony Butt having settled in Victoria, if Amazing Dream does salute the win will be claimed by those on the other side the Tasman.

LAST year's Ballarat Cup winner Lochinvar Art has been installed as an odd-on favourite in TAB.com.au fixed market after drawing barrier two despite having had just the one start in a year after injury.