Privkaka lines up in Saturday's Victory Stakes at Doomben
Privkaka will be at big odds in the Group Two Victory Stakes at Doomben but will have history and some omens on his side.
The Victory Stakes was formerly the Sir Byrne Hart Stakes and although in recent years favourites have dominated, it has produced some big upsets.
It has also been the best race of the winter carnival for Queensland horses with locals winning 10 of the past 20 runnings of the race.
The most recent local win was the Tony Gollan-trained Temple Of Boom who started at $41 in 2014.
Trainer Robert Heathcote’s Group One star Buffering won the race twice and many of Buffering’s owners are also in Privlaka ($101) who carries the same colours.
Heathcote said Privlaka would have to do something special to go on to the Group One races in the winter.
“It has been a good race to me. Sure it really is a case of throwing Privlaka in the very deep end. But I have always had an opinion of him and he has had a few things go against him in his career,” Heathcote said.
“He likes Doomben. If the track is soft it will suit him and his first-up run when sixth is much better than it looks on paper because he jinked at the start.
“We can always step back a few grades if need be.”
The stable also has two-year-old Only Wanna Sing in the Listed Dalrello stakes after being forced to back off him.
Only Wanna Sing was headed for a Sydney autumn campaign but Heathcote eased back on him after he had a slight temperature before being set to travel.
The two-year-old has since won a trial in impressive fashion and Heathcote declared him on course for the winter.
“He is a lovely horse and I am looking forward to the winter with him,” Heathcote said.
Heathcote also has Zofonic Dancer in the Group Three Gunsynd Stakes and is confident he can bounce back after finishing third in the Toowoomba Guineas.
“Look at the replays. He had no luck at all,” Heathcote said.
