Ballarat harness racing devotee Bruce Edward already has cause to be celebrating Saturday night's $110,000 PETstock Ballarat Pacing Cup.
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Edwards will have his first starter in the 50th running of the group 1 event.
Tam Major will wear the Edward family colours as part of hometown trainer Emma Stewart's attempt to win the race for a third time.
Edward has enjoyed enormous success as a standardbred breeder and owner over the past decade.
He operates the award-winning Durham Park at Durham Lead south of Ballarat, where he breeds from a select group of United States, New Zealand and Australian-bred broodmares.
The Edward family has bred and raced winners of numerous classics around the country.
For all the big thrills Bruce Edward has had in the sport, getting a horse in the Ballarat Cup is right up with many of them.
He said it had long been an aim to have a runner in the race.
Edward said securing a spot with Tam Major was already a win.
He said while he was hoping the five-year-old could go on and win, just getting him into the field was satisfying.
Tam Major has developed a reputation for being one of the toughest open class pacers on the circuit, but he can take this further.
The son of Art Major was one of 69 horses which survived the Scotsburn bushfire four years ago after being trapped at Durham Park, which had all its infrastructure destroyed in the blaze.
Tam Major has drawn barrier one in the cup and will be driven for the first time by New South Wales reinsman Cam Hart.
Hart is sixth on the NSW drivers' premiership after finishing fifth last season.
He will drive at Penrith on Thursday night before taking the reins on the Emma Stewart-trained Beach Garden and Rocknroll Ronnie at Melton on Friday night.
Hart has seven driving engagements in Ballarat on Saturday night - four for Stewart, one for Clayton Tonkin two for the NSW stable of JA asnd MJ Rando.
