Mount Garnet Amateur Turf Club officials are expecting a record crowd for the three-day festivities in North Queensland this week.

Veteran Townsville jockey Frank Edwards faces a nine-hour road trip in search of his third North Queensland Cup of the season on Saturday.

Cairns Cup winning-jockey Scott Sheargold has picked up the plum ride on in-form galloper Lord Of Light in the Open Handicap over 1400 metres at Cairns' Cannon Park on Saturday.

Veteran Atherton Tablelands trainer Ricky Ludwig is confident his talented four-year-old gelding Lord Of Light will measure up as a worthwhile hope in this year's North Queensland winter Cups.

Lord of Light's impressive Cooktown Cup win on Saturday capped a big week for North Queensland's elder statesmen: trainer Ricky Ludwig and jockey Frank Edwards.