All the stars were in alignment for Terror To Love before the New Zealand Trotting Cup yesterday.
The only problem is someone forgot to tell the horse.
The Western Terror entire, who will make his mark on the New Zealand breeding scene when he eventually retires, chose the worst of days to make a rare mistake at the 3200m standing start point.
What followed in the next four minutes, however, was one of the greatest New Zealand Cup performances in living memory, as Terror To Love and driver Ricky May latched on to the back of the field and eventually reached the lead with 800m to go, going on to win by a neck over Fly Like An Eagle in 3.57.
The Addington crowd rose as one as Terror To Love returned to the winner's circle for the third year in a row, to be greeted by his co-trainer, Graham Court, and owner Terry McDonald.
Court and McDonald have been mates since the early 1970s, and McDonald placed all the credit for Terror To Love's win in Court's lap.
''That's the man that's done the job - he deserves the accolades,'' McDonald said.
''I'm just the silly bloody owner that pays the bills.
''He's been superb, he really has. I've been with him for 40-odd years now and I wouldn't swap him for a million quid. Straight as a die, he is.''
McDonald, who has about 50 horses in training at the moment, is deeply embedded in harness racing, sponsoring races and junior drivers, and says he remains involved with the code because of the people he meets.
''The people involved in it are fantastic people - win, lose or draw. I'll go see Vicky Purdon [part-owner of rival Christen Me] afterwards. We wish one another the best with no animosity and no borax poked. That's the good part about it.''
Terror To Love was certainly the crowd favourite as he chased history and McDonald was just glad the powerful pacer lived up to the crowd's hopes - the early mistake aside.
''I've had unbelievable support from many friends and people I haven't even known. It's great that the horse didn't let people down.''
Both McDonald and Court did not hold back in their praise for May, who notched up his seventh New Zealand Cup winner courtesy of a typically patient drive.
''He goes out there and we don't give him any instructions how to drive him [Terror To Love],'' Court said.
''He's always pretty laid back and the horses run for him.
''That's the whole secret of having someone like Ricky May driving him [in the lead-up races]. He never got knocked around, he bounced back, and I never had to pick the pieces up.''
McDonald suggested a late career change for May in the days leading up to the cup.
''I was saying to Ricky the other day .that he comes across that well and he's that cool.
''I said to him `after you finish driving you could get a job as a movie star - you'd be a miniature James Bond'.''
Terror To Love's team will now turn their attention to the Miracle Mile in Sydney later this month and the Interdominion series, also in Sydney, early next year.
That means Terror To Love will miss Friday's group 1 free-for-all.
McDonald suggested shortly after the race Terror To Love could be back for a fourth attempt on the cup, but Court was a bit more circumspect when asked about another cup defence.
''That's too far away''Christen Me ran on well for third after getting clear in the straight, while the 9yr-old veteran Pembrook Benny continued his good record in the time-honoured event with a brave fourth.
• Butt fined
Templeton driver Anthony Butt received a $450 fine after he allowed Mah Sish to shift in on Four Starzzz Flash during the New Zealand Trotting Cup yesterday.
Butt defended the charge, which resulted from Mah Sish forcing Four Starzzz Flash inside the marker pegs with 350m to go in the 3200m feature.
