On Tuesday, the race that stops two nations will be a moment to savour for Rotorua trainer Bill Pomare.
The 73-year-old has a runner in the Melbourne Cup for the first time with his horse, Ocean Billy.
The great race is worth $8 million, but it'll be a priceless moment in a truly remarkable life.
In the kitchen on Sunday morning, Pomare is right at home. Of course he'd rather be at Flemington this week, but he's made big plans for the big race.
"We hunted out the scariest people we could find in Rotorua, and some of the heaviest drinkers, and ones that yell the loudest and we're all gonna meet here," Pomare says.
"I'm not sure [of] the exact number. There's plenty of room here."
They'll all be cheering Ocean Billy - who provided Pomare with the biggest moment of his training career in March when he won the Auckland Cup.
It was a moment to savour for Pomare - the culmination of a lifetime of hard work
"For a young Māori boy to come out of nowhere mate with nothing - sleeping under bridges and sleeping in cars to suddenly have an Auckland Cup winner is, to me, incredible," Pomare said at the time.
It was incredible. But the story of Pomare's childhood is even more so.
"We were sent away to be raised by a very angry uncle and I became a punching bag and received a lot of hidings and some pretty cruel one too.
"Something I wouldn't wish on anybody. But it didn't break my spirit.
"The start of my life - the only good part about it was with horses."
And he's certainly got a good one in Ocean Billy.
Bill couldn't be happier with the six-year-old gelding in the leadup to Tuesday in Melbourne under the care of expat Kiwi Chris Waller
"He's a real top guy," Pomare says of Waller.
"He cares about Kiwis, cares about Kiwi horses. [I] couldn't be happier."
He might even care about Ocean Billy even more than Bill - who admitted today he forgot to nominate the horse for the Cup.
"Australia had to ring me and said 'Bill do you want that horse in the Cup? Yes! Tell me you've nominated him! Yes! Ok right, he's in. Why haven't you accepted? When's acceptances? Now!'"
All that's left now is to enjoy the race at home with wife Suzi and good friends - and they'll be cheering.
"If you walk out your deck and point your ear to Rotorua, you should hear it."
Whatever happens on Tuesday, you get the sense Bill Pomare has already won.
