Beer purchased the five-year-old to target the $200,000 Albury Gold Cup (2000m) in March.

Perfect Illusion has never started over anything less than 2000 metres in his 14 start-career but won a trial over 900m at Albury last month in his first public appearance for the Beer stable.

Beer is looking forward to seeing what he produces at his Australian debut at Gundagai.

"I couldn't be any happier with him," Beer said.

"He won his first start by 12 lengths over 2400 metres over there but he's never been trained or tried in this sort of capacity with what we're doing.

"His first couple of gallops on the grass he was like an unraced two-year-old. He had no idea how to quicken or sprint because they're trained so differently over there.

"One day he galloped on the grass and it clicked. Two weeks later I gave him a trial at Albury and thought he went super. It was a very average trial but over 900 metres I thought he went terrific, for a horse like that to get to quicken and hit the line like that.

"He's blown me away the last three or four weeks."

Perfect Illusion has drawn barrier two and will be ridden by stable jockey Jordan Mallyon.

Beer is hopeful rather than confident as to what to expect first up over 1400m at Gundagai on Friday.

"I think if you fast forward six months he's probably the nicest horse in the race but he's coming up against horses where this is their grand final so you have got to respect that," he said.

"He should get a lovely run from the low draw, which is so important there. The history of the race says you need to draw good and be well weighted, which he is.

"They should go quick, which will suit him, so if he gets the right runs in the straight then the last furlong will be very interesting."

Beer, who has been based at Albury just over 12 months now, trained a winning double on Snake Gully Cup day last year.

He rates Lirismo in the $40,000 Tooheys Extra Dry Maiden Plate (1100m) as his best chance on Friday.

He will also be represented by Whycatchim in the $50,000 Snake Gully Flying Handicap (1000m), and last-start Wagga winner Princess Cordelia and Creidne in supporting races on the card.

Last-start Corowa winner Maid In Milan will be Beer's sole representative on the second day of the carnival on Saturday. He will take Shinseki and Anna Baabella at Canberra on Sunday.

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