Two months ago Tony Herlihy had never seen Black Cam - now he wants to see the giant pacer in the Australia's richest pacing race.
New Zealand's champion reinsman has been instrumental in securing a trip to next month's Nights Of Glory carnival at Moonee Valley for the latest star of the Mark Purdon stable.
Black Cam joined Purdon from the Southland stable of owner Des Baynes for the Auckland Cup carnival after being bought by big-spending United States-based owner Joseph Muscara.
His two premier-quality wins at that carnival mean that while he is only a class-six pacer in New Zealand, he is M4 in Australia, which represents open class.
And now Australasia's equal-richest harness race - the $A400,000 Hunter Cup - beckons.
Herlihy started to think of the Hunter Cup after Black Cam's two Auckland Cup carnival wins and it didn't take long to convince Purdon. With the United States locked in the grasp of winter it did not take much to convince Muscara to leave Black Cam here.
Which suits Herlihy just fine.
"I can't say I had really noticed him before the Cup carnival at Addington," said Herlihy.
"But I was asked to drive him on the last night and he won like a pretty smart horse.
"Being a six-year-old, and a big horse, he has continued to get better with the racing over the Auckland Cup carnival and I get the feeling he might keep improving.
"He reminds a little bit of Yulestar, both in his looks and the way he goes," said Herlihy of the gelding who, like Yulestar, is by Cameleon.
Purdon was so impressed with Herlihy's opinion of Black Cam that he drove the horse himself last Saturday and liked what he felt.
"He is a lovely horse and also has good manners. He just scoots around our track at home so I don't think he will have any problems with the smaller tracks in Australia.
"He is a perfect example of a talented Southland-bred horse who has been looked after and given plenty of time to mature."
Black Cam would be unlikely to get a start in the Victoria Cup on February 10 so may race in a free-for-all at Moonee Valley before the Hunter Cup.
He will be one of just five stable representatives at the carnival, a huge turnaround from just a month ago when the leading trainer thought he would not be going to Moonee Valley.
"I didn't think I would have any runners there but now we are likely to have Ouch, Cigar and Black Cam in the main pacing races while Perfect Seelster and Rare Gem will go for the Victoria Derby."
Cigar makes his debut from the stable at Cambridge tomorrow night and has impressed with some speedy trackwork displays.
"He and Ouch will head over next week, with Ouch likely to race in the Ballarat Cup," said Purdon.
Perfect Seelster and Rare Gem have been the big improvers in the 3-year-old ranks in the past month and head for the Derby while higher-rated stablemates Young Rufus and Taihape Tickler enjoy the spelling paddock.
While last season saw Purdon win his first premiership, he admits he is now aiming even higher.
He has trained 56 winners so far this season and admits 100 wins for the term is his new goal.
"We have had a very good run and with the season not even half over yet I suppose 100 has to be the goal. To get that would be a good achievement."
Racing: Australian glory beckons for Black Cam
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