Cleeve says that Know Keeper is a good traveller – although he does like to stand up and watch where he's going – and his littermate, Know Account, will also be making the long trek up.
"I'm hoping both of them will qualify. The travel is definitely easier when you win. You can't get out of the place fast enough when you get your arse kicked!" he laughed.
"We are heading north with some expectations though. Know Keeper is really good. I worked him today (Wednesday)."
The greyhound has previously tasted success at Manukau Stadium, finishing second in the Group 1 Auckland Cup last year (over 527m) and fourth in this year's Auckland Cup back in March. Sunday will mark his first attempt over 779m, the longest race distance in New Zealand, a fact not lost on his trainer.
"It is still the unknown," conceded Cleeve. "As is the travel up and back home, and then the travel back up again for the final.
"But he handled the 747m at Waikato, so that has given us some confidence that he'll get the 779m. He's not a 520m dog that gets out to a big lead and falls in by one or two lengths – he's strong all the way."
This year's Silver Collar series also has trans-Tasman interest, with trainer Gerry O'Keeffe and his charge Here's Tears making the trip across from Australia.
Formerly trained by Robert Britton, Here's Tears is a Group 1 winner in Australia who has amassed $A455,845 in prizemoney. Notwithstanding the fact the greyhound turns five years old in September, he still looks a major player in the first Silver Collar heat, having won his last start at Sale over 650m on 15 May.
"I'm really delighted to be staying with Rob Roper and his family," said O' Keeffe, who trained the 2017 Silver Collar winner, Ring The Bell.
"The dog arrived a day late, but he was so well that we still decided to trial him on Sunday morning at Manukau."
He trialled 18.59 (4.71, 13.88) on Sunday afternoon out of the 318m boxes, and after coming through his trial well, he returned on Wednesday morning, when he clocked 18.84 (13.97 run home) on a heavy-ish track, after stumbling out of the boxes.
"All I want to do is qualify on Sunday – that's all I can ask for," said O'Keeffe