Pier will carry some of Australasian racing's most famous colours into Saturday's 2000 Guineas at Riccarton, but to trainer Darryn Weatherley he is still his little boy.
Weatherley and his daughter Briar train the Guineas favourite and their small family operation is taking on some of the biggest names in the industry, with Te Akau having three in the race, the James/Wellwood barn represented by filly Prowess, and another syndication giant in Go Racing having Diss Is Dramatic.
Add in Wexford Stables, who have had a magical run in major 3-year-old races the past three seasons, and the Weatherleys' 14-horse operation is the David against some Goliaths.
But they have an Australian Goliath of their own in Victorian owner Ozzie Kheir, who loved Pier so much watching him win his first start he just had to buy a 25 per cent stake in him, which is how he has ended up racing in Kheir's famous Cox Plate and Derby-winning colours.
"He is a horse we have loved all along and bred him with a good friend in Barry Wright, and while Barry didn't want to sell any of his share, we couldn't refuse Ozzie's offer for half of our half," says Weatherley.