It is great to see such a strong Aussie flavour in the first harness slot race run in this part of the world.

There are four Aussie raiders – Alta Orlando, Mach Dan, Majestic Cruiser and Stylish Memphis – among the nine runners in Thursday night’s $NZ900,000 The Race at Cambridge.

Sure, you can argue Stylish Memphis is a Kiwi going back home and Mach Dan is on loan to the Mark Purdon and Hayden Cullen stable for the race, but they are four pacers who have been doing all recent racing in Australia.

Just as importantly for the profile and interest in The Race, is the fact four of Australia’s top young horsemen, all NSW-based, will be part of it.

Jack Trainor trains and drives Stylish Memphis, Jason Grimson trains and Cam Hart drives Majestic Cruiser, while Jack Callaghan will drive Alta Orlando for Team McCarthy.

On so many levels, The Race has defied some obvious chinks in its model to be a success. I’m the first to admit I thought the flaws in the model meant it would struggle. It’s exceeded my expectations.

So why was I a doubter and what has proven me wrong? Let’s dig into that.

Cambridge chief Dave Branch, the man who has effectively built The Race on his own back, openly admits the moderate $NZ150,000 “top-up” of stakemoney over the $NZ750,000 contributed by the 10 slot holders (at $NZ75,000 each) is not enough.

In fact, when The Race was launched, the spiel was quick to point out plans to boost the extra stakemoney over the next two years.

To be sustained and thrive beyond the buzz, novelty and excitement of year one is an absolute must.

Consider this, a $NZ75,000 slot in The Race gets you a total (slot holder and horse owners), a return of just $NZ400,000. That’s a multiplier of 5.33.

Compare that to a multiplier of 10.33 in The Everest ($A6.2 million for a $600,000 slot) or a multiplier of 10 for Victorian greyhounds slot race, The Phoenix ($A750,000 for $75,000 slot).

The top-up component of The Everest is $7.8 million (compared to $7.2 million injected by slot owners). For The Phoenix, the top-up is $545,000 (compared to $600,000 from slot owners).

More simply, if you are the winning slot owner in The Race and have a standard 50-50 agreement with the owners of the horse you partner with, you will get just $NZ200,000 back for your $NZ75,000 outlay.

So why has it worked? Why have slot owners and connections of horses jumped on board a business model that falls well short of the thoroughbred and greyhound equivalents?

That’s easy to answer, having spoken to many of the people involved.

It is all about passion and commitment to the sport and trying to help it grow.

Harness racing may be a distant third of three racing codes in (turnover) market share these days, but we are still blessed with many heavy hitters with the passion and money to spend when the right opportunities arise. You just need to look at those who bought slots in The Race to see that.

Cambridge banked on that and Branch and his team have been vindicated and rewarded. They deserve all the success they get.

We know there is an Aussie slot race coming soon and no doubt it will be closer to the Everest/Phoenix model as far as top-up stakemoney goes.

As for why so many top horses are competing? It is a timing thing. There is nothing else on of any major note now for them to race in, so even a potential $NZ200,000 first prize for owners in The Race is worth a shot.

Now, to The Race itself. Can an Aussie win it? Absolutely, yes. Especially the way the barriers have fallen with NZ’s two top pacers Self Assured (eight) and South Coast Arden (seven) drawing the two worst barriers.

I would lean slightly to Majestic Cruiser as our best hope from inside the back row, despite his and obvious need for plenty of luck at the right times to see daylight.

Stylish Memphis and Alta Orlando may well be leader and leader’s back early and peg runs are usually gold around the tight turns of Cambridge. They should get their chance.

Mach Dan’s hopes really hinge on whether driver Ricky May can get him out quickly enough to challenge and get the front from, say, an Alta Orlando. If not, he is a in a world of pain.

The race will be shown live on Sky Racing 1 at 6.55pm Thursday night.

LOOK out America, Amazing Dream is away and running.

It was fantastic to see the former pacing queen of Australia and NZ win her first North American start at The Meadowlands yesterday (Sunday) morning our time.

Trainer Linda Toscano admitted to be nervous and glad to have the race out of the way. It’s clear she’s already fallen in love with Amazing Dream.

Our own Todd McCarthy, who is now one of the most dominant drivers in the US, took the reins and was suitably impressed.

“She did it really well and will no doubt keep improving,” he said. “There isn’t a standout mare over here, so if she can pick up where she left off in Australia, there’s a lot to look forward to for the rest of the year.”

Managing owner Gordon Banks said the $US100,000 Betsy Ross would be Amazing Dream’s first major target in late May at Harrahs Chester.

“Then there at least two feature races a month for fillies and mares right through until November,” he said.

The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the author and may not be attributed to or represent policies of Harness Racing Victoria, which is the state authority and owner of thetrots.com.au.