A legend of the Interdominion Racing Championships will make a rare and special appearance at the finals at Alexandra Park on Saturday night.
Two-time trotting winner I Can Doosit will lead the field out in the group one showpiece, a significant moment for his owners in their quest to provide horses the best life in retirement.
I Can Doosit is usually the boss at Breckon Farms just south of Hamilton.
“He absolutely knows that he's special. Anyone who wants to be nasty, he sorts them out,” owner Karen Breckon told 1 NEWS with a laugh.
For the past fortnight, "Lucky", as he's known, is nowhere to be seen.
He's in Auckland preparing for his race night return at the scene of his first interdominion trotting success in 2011.
He has enjoyed one of Australasian trotting's best careers, with 11 group one wins and 18 salutes in a row.
Having retired in 2013, he's an official ambassador for this year's race and will lead out the field at Alexandra Park.
“[It's] very exciting - brings back fond memories," Breckon said. "He wants to be even out there today but, as I said, he's part of the family."
To get used his to surroundings again, owners Jen and Karen Breckon and his driver, Mark Purdon, invited 1 NEWS along for a ride behind the champ.
For trainer-driver Purdon, this jog is a prelude to a big weekend.
His lone entry in the trotting final "Winterfell" is considered a great chance of winning, while he has five in the pacing final with Ultimate Sniper a near unbackable favourite.
“I think you'd have to say that on his heat performances - they've been outstanding and particularly his last one it left a lot of people in awe,” Purdon said.
For the Breckons, though, it'll be "Lucky" who's the highlight.
His official return to the track is a culmination of the work they do with retired horses.
“We do a lot for the disabled, they're great with the kids and that and we're always looking for homes for them and that's very important to us that they do go to good homes,” Karen Breckon said.
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