TWO huge races are buzzing around in my head at the moment.

Well, it's actually four races, but only two of them are harness races. The others at this time of year are, of course, the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.

But let's focus on the harness races for this audience.

The first one I'm ruminating about is as iconic as they come in this part of the world, while the other hasn’t even been run yet.

The first is the New Zealand Trotting Cup. Weird by name (why does it still have trotting in its title when it’s a pacing race?) but special on just about every level.

The second is the world’s richest race, the “newbie”, the $2.1 million TAB Eureka.

Let’s head across the ditch first.

Long before Rock N Roll Doo walloped his rivals in last Saturday week’s Pryde's EasiFeed Victoria Cup, the NZ Cup was on trainer-driver Mick Stanley’s mind. Mine, too.

Initially it may have been as much as a learning curve for Rock N Roll Doo, but his meteoric rise where the penny has really dropped over the past couple of months has changed the picture.

Stanley now knows the trip is two-fold. It will still be the learning curve he first thought, but now he can win in it. In fact, the Kiwis have him as an equal favourite with local hero and past Cup champion Self Assured.

Think about that.

Rock N Roll Doo is aiming to become just the second Aussie-trained pacer to win the NZ Cup since Jimmy O’Sullivan did it with My Lightning Blue way back in 1987.

I will never forget being trackside with Gareth Hall to watch and celebrate Kerryn Manning winning it with Arden Rooney in 2015.

It’s a very special race.

Aussies will find it hard to believe being a harness race, but it genuinely is NZ’s equivalent of the Melbourne Cup.

It is their race that goes the closest to stopping a nation.

And Rock N Roll Doo is already in NZ – he’s down in Christchurch now at Cran Dalgety’s stables with Stanley – getting ready for it.

That’s exciting enough, but to have a second runner and second very serious contender is another layer.

Young gun NSW trainer Jason Grimson confirmed Majestic Cruiser’s trip late last week.

It will be another trip across the Tasman for Grimson and his stable star. They teamed-up to beat NZ’s best pacers in Group 1 Messenger in Auckland back in April.

Majestic Cruiser then returned home and beat many of Australia’s top pacers in the Group 1 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park on July 23.

He hasn’t raced since, but resumes at Menangle on Saturday night. He will then back-up in the Group 1 Len Smith Mile a week later and be flown to Auckland two days later (October 31).

If Rock N Roll Doo handle the standing-start well and run up to their best form, it’s going to a Cup to treasure for the Aussies.

So, put a ring around Tuesday, November 8.

Now to the TAB Eureka.

Well, hasn’t the $2.1 million race already started causing a splash despite the first running still being almost 11 months away?

Leviathan owner Kevin Seymour was emphatic in saying a focus on the TAB Eureka has sparked a rethink with the racing plans for Australia’s most exciting young star, last week’s Victoria Derby winner Leap To Fame.

Seymour and trainer-driver Grant Dixon have decided to bypass the Breeders Crown and turn their backs on the Chariots Of Fire and Miracle Mile to make the TAB Eureka the focal point from here.

Leap To Fame has the upcoming NSW Breeders Challenge, a long spell then will go through the major races in his home state Queensland Constellations (winter carnival) to be primed for the TAB Eureka at Menangle on September 2, next year.

Andy Gath has the same focus, but via a different pathway with his stable star Catch A Wave.

Gath is skipping the Breeders Crown so he can go to the Vicbred Super Series in late December and then get to Menangle for some travel experience and to get practice around the huge Menangle 1400m track.

That way, when it comes time for the TAB Eureka, for Catch A Wave the trip to Sydney and wide expanses of Menangle will be second nature to him.

The TAB Eureka is the world’s richest harness race, so you would hope it makes a huge impact.

Judging by the early signs, it’s certainly doing that.

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.