Not only that - a win or placing in one of Australia's great races could give North Taieri stud White Robe Lodge the best free advertising it could ask for.
Who Shot Thebarman was sold off the North Taieri farm in 2010 as a yearling, a process which will fast be making stud manager Wayne Stewart rather popular with a bunch of neighbours and cousins near Wanganui.
Stewart picked out Who Shot Thebarman for the O'Leary brothers, who still own the horse, now racing out of Chris Waller's Sydney stables. He had done similarly with New Zealand and Wellington Cup winner Blood Brotha.
''It's quite ironic because Blood Brotha went to the sales in Christchurch and got passed in. I got home and called Mark and Raymond Connors and said to them I thought he was a nice horse and a good type.
''They're neighbours - just about - of the O'Learys and they're cousins.
''So the two horses I've sold to two neighbours . . . have both won half a million. They've won four cups between them.''
Stewart described the prospect of Who Shot Thebarman doing well in either the Caulfield or Melbourne Cups as ''massive''.
''It would continue that trend we've done for years,'' he said.
''Tawriffic, although he wasn't owned by us, was bred and raised on this farm and he went on and won a Melbourne Cup [in 1989].
''It just proves that down here on the Taieri we can still continue to breed world-class stayers and that's what we're best at.''
Who Shot Thebarman has drawn a wide barrier of 16, although he will slide in at least two spots when the balloted runners are scratched.
Yamanin Vital's replacement at the stud, Raise The Flag, has been getting good reports, but Stewart also has confidence in the family of Who Shot Thebarman's mother, Ears Carol.
''It would have been nice to still have Yammy, but we've still got a lot from that family. It's a family that can grow a really nice horse and a good stayer.''
