2026 Ballarat Pacing Cup night will feature a new group 1 race with running of the $75,000 Ballarat Trotters Cup.

It will complement the Group 2 $100,000 Ballarat Pacing Cup on Saturday, January 24.

The meeting will be the third leg of a new-look Victorian Summer of Super Saturdays.

The carnival will feature five major country cups in as many week leading into the Group 1 $250,000 AG Hunter Cup at Melton on Saturday, February 14.

Bendigo will lead off on January 10, followed by Shepparton on January and then Cranbourne on January 31 and Kilmore on February 7 will follow Ballarat.

Each of the country cup meetings will also showcase a feature trot as a lead-up to the Group 1 $250,000 Great Southern Star on Hunter Cup night.

Ballarat and District Trotting Club chief executive officer Paul Rowse said the club was excited to continue its long connection with Victoria’s premier carnival.

“The summer has become supercharged with more feature racing in January in Victoria – it will be the destination,” Rowse said.

“Ballarat, as always, is happy to continue to be a big part of that, including having trotters cup with group 1 status.”

Rowse said there were more announcements regarding the Ballarat Pacing Cup night program to come.