It's the sort of idea that could only have been dreamed up at happy hour down at a pub out west, but it's one Robert "Rabbs" Wharram was determined to make a reality.
Mr Wharram had been to the Birdsville Races in western Queensland in 2025, visiting other outback towns including Bedourie and Betoota on the way, and fell in love with the big skies and bigger personalities.
He first floated the idea at a pub in the western NSW town of Moree, rounding up a bunch of 10 mates to return to this year's event.
Then the idea snowballed, and he realised they were going to need a bigger bus.
Then it became two buses.
A sponsor came on board, in return for which the group donated $5000 to the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Then a fellow colourful racing identity, Luke Berger, made him an offer he couldn't refuse - a 10 per cent share in Green Shadows, a five-year-old chestnut gelding.
For that, Mr Wharram promised any prize money won by Green Shadows would be donated to fighting motor neurone disease.
Mr Berger had lost a close family member to the disease, and Mr Wharram jumped at the chance.
"I do yabby racing, camel calling, weddings, funerals, bucks parties, auctions for goldfish," he told AAP.
"But I also work as a labourer during the week. I'm just a bushie who likes having a bit of fun and loves the races."
The Birdsville Races, which have been running almost annually since 1882, is the biggest and most remote outback track meeting in the country.
Birdsville Race Club vice-president Gary Brook told AAP that "just getting here is a journey and an achievement in itself".
Immense wet-season rains - enough to fill Kati-Thanda-Lake Eyre over the South Australian border - mean the Birdsville Track remains closed.
It has forced travellers coming from the south on an extra six-hour loop via Broken Hill and Tibooburra, while fuel prices remain sky-high.
The additional hardship faced by travellers and contestants for this year's meet has resulted in the total prize pool bumping to a record $350,000.
Mr Brook said it had been a brutal year for outback tourism, with multiple rain events causing uncertainty as roads reopened, only to be closed again.
"Sometimes people aren't prepared to take that risk, and we certainly understand that," he said.
Mr Brook said one of the event's quirks was that the best horse didn't always win.
"It's harder to win in Birdsville than many other places in outback Queensland," he said.
"There are so many variables. They may not handle the trip to Birdsville, the flies, the dust, the different drinking water, the dirt."
On the other hand, he said nags that might not make the grade in Group 1 racing had other opportunities racing in the outback.
"It's an off-ramp. If you know your horse is not going to make it at that level, then there is still something pretty special that's out there for you."
Green Shadows, has followed a similar path, running at Royal Randwick and Rosehill before, in Mr Wharram's words, "her form went a little bit sour".
Then she started training on the dirt, running second in the Aramac Cup.
"She's a real live chance in the Birdsville Cup," Mr Wharram said.
"If we win the cup, I reckon they'll make a movie."
Horses, trainers and jockeys from four states and territories will be vying for Friday's feature race Akubra Big Red and the headline act, the $70,000 TAB Birdsville Cup, on Saturday.
Additional funds raised from the event support the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
AAP travelled with the support of the Birdsville Race Club.
