Giorgio and Neve Piras have been at their Cosa Nostra Ristorante virtually every day of the past three years.

But this weekend will be different. The husband and wife will join son Peter Piras at Royal Randwick, who is a part-owner of The Everest favourite Redzel.

For Peter to be there is amazing in itself. The Wollongong local has endured bone marrow transplants, kidney disease and leukemia.

It makes days like Saturday all the more special.

“They’ve never seen him before,” Peter Piras said.

“I told them it was going to be hectic, but they said they don’t want to miss it. It will be special.”

For people like Piras, that’s the great thing about having a top racehorse. It doesn’t just capture the imagination of those in the ownership team.

Fellow part-owner Patricia Di Marco – a school teacher from Figtree – knows that all too well.

"It has brought the family together," she says.

"The money is obviously great, but I've appreciated that more. It's been lovely.

"Two of the kids live in Sydney now and one in Canberra and the Sydney based ones come to every race. The camaraderie of the group of owners is amazing as well.”

Piras and Di Marco are among a large group of owners from various backgrounds, which also includes Balgownie’s Tony Kocovski.

All three will be on track at Randwick on Saturday as Redzel, trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, looks to claim the richest race on turf in consecutive years over.

"We know he is going to run a good race," Di Marco said.

"I am confident in the horse, the jockey and the trainers.

“If there happens to be one faster than him, then good luck to them but we know we have a horse that will be fighting hard to win."

For Piras, Saturday will be an event close to a year in the making.

Just 24 hours after winning last year’s race, he predicted Redzel would return to the scene of his victory as one of the main contenders again.

"We knew we would be here," Piras said. "They are trying to come and take our crown and we are trying to write more history.

"But no matter what happens, no one can take away what he has already done."

Redzel was a $6.50 TAB fixed odds favourite late on Friday afternoon and will be ridden by Kerrin McEvoy.