Last year the high-profile trainer broke through for his maiden Albury Gold Cup victory when Niblick, who is being set for this year's race, finished second but was elevated to first when the horse which finished third won a protest against the horse that finished first.

But Cavanough is not upset at the manner in which he won his first Gold Cup.

"That's racing; I've had a few go against me," he said.

The Albury trainer has had amazing success over the years, winning nine Southern District Racing Association premierships -- he is on the verge of another one -- and three NSW Country racing premierships, so does he now rate himself a chance to catch and pass Richard Freyer, the Corowa trainer who won eight Albury Gold Cups?

"It was rewarding to win the cup but I don't get out of bed to win the Albury Gold Cup," he said.

"I don't want to compare myself with the Freyers, because their record is there in black and white and it's a very good one.

"If I was to beat their record it is just something that happens.

"The target I would like to chase is Bert Honeychurch's.

"He won 10 straight SDRA premierships and then one or two more, I think.

"I would say he is my role model."

Cavanough, born in Charlieville in western Queensland, gained his first training licence when he was 18.

"My grandfather had a licence and we were brought up with it in the backyard," he said.

"Pretty much like my four kids; they wake up and Dad is either at the races or down the back working on one.

"I had three or four horses in work at Charlieville and then I gave it away.

"I later went back to it and had 20 in work.

"Then I went shearing for 14 years, before my wife Lauren and I moved to Tocumwal about 15 years ago.

"Before I left to come to Albury we had 60 horses in work, after starting with six.

"I now have about 70 in work here, break about 100 horses a year and employ about 18 to 20 staff."

So why move to Albury?

"Dave Wallace did a bit of work on me and then I lost a couple of Asian clients for about seven hours," he said.

"They landed in Melbourne and headed out to my stables at Tocumwal but got lost and arrived there about seven hours late.

"Here in Albury they just fly in and fly  out.

"I got here about the time John Miller, the Albury Racing Club chief did; in March 2005."

Cavanough said it was pretty rewarding to win an Albury Gold Cup so early.

"There's been a lot of blokes training in the Riverina forever and they would have loved to have won an Albury Gold Cup but unfortunately they haven't been able to get there."