Triple Inter Dominion winner Blacks A Fake, defending champion Mr Feelgood and Victoria Cup hero Bettors Strike join local stars Melpark Major and Smoken Up in the $400,000 Group 1 BIG6 Hunter Cup.

Chris Lang-trained pair Sundons Gift and Skyvalley spearhead the Australian assault on the $250,000 Inter Dominion, but they have a strong list of Kiwi rivals, headed by Sovereignty and Springbank Richard, for competition.

The SEW-Eurodrive Inter Dominion Trotting Championship begins with semi finals at Ballarat on Saturday, January 30 with the Group 1 final to be run at the final Moonee Valley meeting - the same night of the BIG6 Hunter Cup - seven days later.

Harness Racing Victoria Racing Manager, Nathan McGowan, said the quality of nominations for both events was typically strong.

"In the Hunter Cup we've got the past three winners, a very strong local contingent and some quality New Zealanders among the entries, while the quality Kiwi contingent will ensure another trans-Tasman rivalry in the Inter Dominion Trotting Championship," he said.

"The standard or entries is right up there with anything we've had in recent years."

Along with Mr Feelgood and 2008 winner Blacks A Fake, 2007 champion Sting Lika Bee is among 49 entries for the BIG6 Hunter Cup, along with last year's runner-up I Am Sam.

Boom four-year-old Bonavista Bay and Tony Peacock-trained standing-start specialists Power Of Tara and Ohoka Nevada are other notable Victorian entries, along with classy interstaters Karloo Mick (NSW), Im Themightyquinn (WA) and Washakie (Qld).

Adding to the strength of Victoria's assault on the Australasian squaregaiting championship, which attracted 55 nominations, are proven top-level performers Will Trapper, Viva La Fever, Save A Sixpence, Acacia Ridge and Ronerail.

Galleons Sunset, the Derek Balle-trained Inter Dominion trotting champion from two seasons ago, is among the other Kiwis entered for this year's series along with talented types Houdini Star and Sno's Big Boy.

Hunter Cup Nominations: Atomic Ark (Qld), Baltic Ice, Bettors Strike (NZ), Blacks A Fake (Qld), Bold Cruiser, Bonavista Bay, Bondy (NZ), Bono Bests (Qld), Broadway Play, Cant Bluff Me (NSW), Diamonds N Furs, Doolan Jack (SA), Few Good Men, I Am Sam, Im Themightyquinn (WA), Jaccka Clive, Jackson Grant (NSW), Just Wal, Kalypson Kid, Karloo Mick (NSW), Karlsruhe, Keayang Hanover, Luv Tha Aces Lombo, Maffioso, Megasam, Melpark Major, Mr Feelgood (NZ), Mystical Warrior, Notaswethort, Ohoka Nevada, Ohoka Utah, Pembrook Benny (NZ), Power Of Tara, Prince Benji, Road To Rainbow, Sammy Maguire, Showdownatmidnight (NSW), Sir Lance, Smoken Up, Sting Lika Bee, Stunin Cullen (NZ), Tanabi Bromac, Tee Pee Village (WA), Thats Mister Ali, The Gunstar, Ti Vogliobene, Washakie (Qld), Western Cam (Qld), Wideford Hill.

Inter Dominion Trotting Nominations: Acacia Ridge, Afriti, Ants, Armed Guard, Beleva, Bete Noire, Cillas Earl, Conquer All, Danny Bouchea, Don King, Dream A Moment, Earl Of Mot, False Gem, Galleons Sunset (NZ), Gavlenn Ryoshy, Gentlemans Honour, Groovy Bromac, Heyzeal, Houdini Star (NZ), I Didnt Do It, In Pursuit, Joe Bro, Just Glorious, Kasyanov (Qld), Kyvalley Mac, La Mosca, Lenny Lewis, Lleyton H (NZ), Look Here Bloke, Miss Warbucks, Miss Yaa Haa (Qld), Mystic Hush, Olivia Of Kew (Qld), Pepperell Dancer, Red Samurai, Ronerail, Save A Sixpence, Sea Spray Darling (Qld), Si Capisco, Skyvalley, Sno's Big Boy (NZ), Solar Active, Sovereignty (NZ), Springbank Richard (NZ), Sun Samurai, Sunana Asset (Qld), Sundons Gift, Sunny Elegant (NSW), Sunset Truscott, Thepowerofhealing, Viva La Fever, Well Cast, Westwood Castleton, Will Trapper, Yentls Star.

Brad BISHOP