Never one to be far from the spotlight, Cavanough rates last year’s heroics when winning his first cup with Niblick and the Flat Knacker with Bossdon City as his best training performance on his home track, narrowly ahead of 2007 when he snared six winners over the two-day carnival.

While Cavanough conceded it would always be a tough feat to emulate, he certainly had a swagger heading into this year’s carnival.

The dominant force in Southern District racing will unleash 20 runners over the two days as he looks to topple his previous best of six winners.

“It’s my biggest team ever and definitely my strongest,” Cavanough said.

“I never previously had this quality of young horses and older horses at the one time.

“Put it this way, I will be pretty disappointed if I can’t give my record a nudge.”

Lightly raced Steakandbernaise is the most interesting of his nine runners today.

The four-year-old has won his two starts and looks destined for bigger and better races.

He is raced by prominent Sydney owner Richard Pegum, originally from Wagga.

“The big picture for him is the Wagga Gold Cup in May,” Cavanough said.

“I would like to think he will go super today and then progress to a mile next start.

“He is a very well-bred horse and has got quality written all over him.

“Richard has got an insatiable appetite to win a Wagga Cup and I hope this is the horse that can deliver it.

“I have got five runners for Richard today and he is coming down for a look.

“He will be waving the stick pretty hard so I will have to perform.

“If I had to pick my best for the carnival Steakandbernaise would be it.”