KEY POINTS:
If young reinsman Andrew McCarthy needs some encouragement as the field lines up in tomorrow's New Zealand Trotting Cup he will only have to look to his right.
Because standing two horses away will be Flashing Red, the horse who proves McCarthy and his veteran drive Cobbity Classic deserve their place in the great race.
McCarthy will be the youngest driver in the field; as a 20-year-old he is just 12 years older than his horse.
Because he has never been a glamour horse, Cobbity Classic has snuck under the guard of most Kiwi punters, not to mention bookmakers who let him drift to $40 a month ago.
But McCarthy knows Cobbity Classic is, at his best, as good as Flashing Red, who will be second favourite in the Cup.
Flashing Red has spent much of his career locking horns with Cobbity Classic in Queensland before the former joined the Tim Butt and Phil Anderson stable in September.
Since then he has won three races and beaten Mainland Banner in national record time.
"They have clashed plenty of times over home and Cobbity has usually been as good as Flashing Red," said McCarthy.
"They are very similar horses in that they don't corner that well at home and aren't suited by the small straights.
"But the bigger track and staying races over here will suit us just like they suit him."
Cobbity Classic goes into tomorrow's race off the back of some luckless runs in mainly unsuitable races in Queensland but McCarthy is still confident he can surprise.
"He took a while to settle in because he is on different feed than we have at home but he is working a treat now."
Which leaves one potential stumbling block tomorrow, the standing start.
Cobbity Classic has had only one standing start in Australia and blew it but his manners are usually perfect.
"I have given him some stands in training this week and he has been good. Not really fast away, but good."
If he does step quickly Cobbity Classic would be the only horse on the front line likely to hold out Flashing Red for the lead. "I would have to see how he felt on the day but if I got there easily enough I'd think about staying there," said McCarthy.
