And he hopes Jaccka Justy can keep stepping up after the son of Continentalman was named Otago's harness horse of the year at the annual awards in Palmerston on Saturday night.
''Granddad trained an Interdominion trotter, Dad trained a Dominion and Rowe Cup trotter. For me, personally, it would be great to win one of those races.''
Cox's grandfather Harry trained Poupette to win the 1965 Interdominion Trotting Grand Final at Forbury Park, while Cox's father, John, campaigned David Moss for part of the giant trotter's career and was the trainer when the Gekoj gelding won the 1993 Rowe Cup.
''But just to be involved in those group races are what you strive for as trainers. Me and Amber don't have a lot of great horses, but the horses we do have, we take a lot of pride in them.''
Cox and co-trainer Amber Hoffman enjoyed a career highlight early last season with Jaccka Justy's group 3 D G Jones Memorial Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup win against a field which included 10-time group 1 winner Vulcan and group performers Dr Hook and Raydon among others.
''He'd always trialled well at Balfour [on the grass track].
''But you're racing in group company and you're never expecting anything spectacular and the field we were racing against was a pretty good field.''
Jaccka Justy's owners and breeders, Charlie and Ailsa Small, were on course last September to watch the win.
''We were just really impressed with the run,'' Ailsa Smaill said.
''Jonny kept him settled and let him come home really well. It was just awesome to see him cruising past.''
The now-8yr-old Jaccka Justy is lightly raced by comparison to some of his rivals with just 42 starts under his belt, and Smaill said it was one of the breed's traits.
''It seems that breed don't handle a lot of racing, so [trainers] have to space their races and not overwork them,'' she said.
''He had a lot of spirit [as a youngster] and they're very difficult to handle, that breed, when they're first broken in.
''Once they learn their little idiosyncrasies they manage them quite well. I think Charlie and Amber and Jonny have learned how to cope with them.''
Everything has gone to plan since Jaccka Justy's spell after running third at Addington in mid-May.
''Charlie was really pleased with the way he came up and he was in good fettle when we took him up to Jonny and Amber's a couple of weeks ago,'' Smaill said.
His path towards the Dominion on Show Day on November 14 will be similar to his approach last season, with a defence of his Banks Peninsula crown among the races.
''That's the plan but plans never go to course. He's a funny sort of horse. He doesn't take a lot of racing and the travelling keeps him fit,'' Cox said.
''We always thought he would mature with the season up against the open-class trotters. We ran second to Master Lavros two or three starts ago and he's the pin-up boy of trotting in New Zealand. If we can get as close again in future races, we'd be happy.''
A new award at Saturday's ceremony was for a significant contribution to harness racing in Otago, sponsored by the Forbury Park Trotting Club.
John Mudie, the long-time secretary of the Waikouaiti, Oamaru and Kurow clubs, was the first recipient of the award.
Horse of the year
The awards
2yr-old trotter, Springbank Eden; 2yr-old pacer, Smokin Bird; 3yr-old trotting colt or gelding, Father Christmas; 3yr-old trotting filly, Zhenya; 3yr-old pacing colt or gelding, Quick As A Trick, 3yr-old pacing filly, Al Raza; 4yr-old trotter, Merilane, 4yr-old pacer, Belkmyster; 5yr-old and older trotter, Jaccka Justy; 5yr-old and older pacer, Better To Be Bad/Shya; driver, Matthew Williamson; junior driver, Brad Williamson; trainer, Phil Williamson; significant contribution, John Mudie; broodmare excellence, Cath Hanover; harness horse of the year, Jaccka Justy.
