There is a raceday this weekend that will offer more than $1.5 million in stakes.

Australasia's best two, three and four-year-olds will be in action and people on both sides of the Tasman will be tuning in to watch the future stars of their sport in action.

But not one hoofprint will be delivered at the venues that generally host Australia's million-dollar racedays: Flemington, Randwick or Caulfield.

The new home of Victorian harness racing, Melton's Tabcorp Park, will stage Australasian Breeders Crown "Super Sunday" - a day that is fast developing a reputation as the premier day in Australasian harness racing.

Modelled on similar overseas carnivals, the first series wasn't held in Australia until 1998 but in just 12 years it has grown to the point that has many wondering whether it will one day surpass the Inter Dominion as harness racing's most prestigious event.

It is already the most influential.

After being solely the domain of two-year-olds in 1998 and 1999, the new millennium brought with it a three-year-old division and last year saw the introduction of a four-year-old category.

It enabled a finals day featuring nine Group 1s, making it the most prestigious day of any racing code in Australia.

And, as was the case last year when New Zealanders won three finals, the Australians have a fight on their hands to keep several of the striking Breeders Crown trophies their side of the Tasman.

The Kiwis are represented in five of the nine finals and supply the favourite in four of them.

The headline act is Australian and New Zealand Oaks winner De Lovely, who is earning comparisons with some of the greatest three-year-old females to ever come out of the Shaky Isles.

She was put up the $1.10 favourite in first markets on her $188,000 final, a price that would make her the shortest-priced pacing winner if successful on Sunday.

Our Major Mark was beaten in his semi-final last Friday night, but will start favourite in the $308,000 two-year-old colts and geldings final on account of a gun barrier (two) and super record of eight wins from 12 starts.

Paramount Geegee tuned up for the $162,000 two-year-old trotters final with a 28-metre win at Geelong last week, while Miami H is the horse to beat in the $102,000 three-year-old trotters final despite a tricky inside-back-row starting position.

But the Kiwis' strongest hand comes up in the $188,000 three-year-old colts and geldings final in which they have a quartet of chances, all of which occupy a place on the top six lines of betting.

Last year's two-year-old champion, Smiling Shard, earned the right to defend his title with an impressive semi-final victory, but he also came up with an awkward inside-back-row barrier.

Drawing the coveted spot immediately in front of him is compatriot Franco Jamar, the other semi-final winner, while Victoria Derby champion Courage To Rule and the under-rated Devil Dodger are New Zealand's other runners.

Queensland star Lanercost, runner-up to Smiling Shard in last year's final, is seemingly the only local equipped to deny the Kiwi challenge.

But it's not all doom and gloom for the future of Australian harness racing.

Royal Verdict and semi winners Sushi Sushi and Abettorpunt have the talent to match it with Our Major Mark, Chateau De Ville will give Paramount Geegee a run for its money and Rostevarren will keep Miami H honest.

Aussie Made Lombo - a daughter of Australia's only million-dollar racemare, Tailamade Lombo - will be out to turn the tables on her Vicbred Super Series conqueror Lively Moth in the $308,000 two-year-old fillies final.

Let Me Thru is odds-on to repeat last year's success in the $50,000 four-year-old trotters final, while champion mare Broadways Best and Chariots Of Fire winner Villagem have a stranglehold on their respective $100,000 four-year-old pacing deciders.

They're not names non-harness fans would be familiar with, but they could be synonymous with the sport in a few years.

(Brad Bishop is an award-winning writer in both thoroughbred and harness racing.)