Four Pillars form and a light weight has Theresa Bateup confident Divine Breath can make a splash in Saturday's Sky Racing Summer Provincial Series Heat as she prepares to saddle up at two-pronged attack at Kembla Grange.
Last start Four Pillars placegetter Divine Breath will lead her assault while stablemate Shaka Rock is also set to line up on a heavy track at Illawarra Turf Club.
Divine Breath produced an excellent performance on the big stage at her last start in Sydney's newest $700,000 event for Midway horses when finishing third behind Kiss Sum and Dufresne in the Four Pillars.
The daughter of Scissor Kick drops back to provincial grade in a Class 5 Plate on Saturday and will carry equal bottom weight with 55kg in heat.
"It is the first time I have got into one of these Provincial Series races well at the weights as it's usually the opposite," Bateup said.
"She seems to have come through the Four Pillars really well and gets in nicely at the weights.
"She races well at Kembla and handles wet tracks so she should run well.
"I think it's a race that she can go very close in and if we run top three, we will qualify for the Final."
The first three home in each Summer Provincial Series Heat will earn a spot in the $150,000 Final at Newcastle on December 18. Bateup is hoping to get two runners in the final with stablemate Shaka Rock also set to go around.
The Proisir gelding was last seen finishing third in a Class 2 at the Sapphire Coast over 1612m but will drop back in distance on Saturday.
"On paper, Divine Breath is the better chance but they are both there and get their opportunity. Shaka Rock is a horse that I have been wanting to get on the wet, given his form in Queensland before he came to me.
"He was going to go around at Hawkesbury before they got called off and we are using Kembla as a back-up. I don't mind that he is coming back to 1400m and Shaun (Guymer) rides him well. He's another one that comes down in the weights off his last start too."
Bateup listed the Robert and Luke Price-trained Kobestar as one of the main dangers on Saturday. Kobestar also feature in the Four Pillars but endured a luckless run in the event and never featured in the finish.
A field of 10 has accepted for the Summer Provincial Series Heat which headlines the eight-race card. Kembla Grange will be closely monitored throughout Friday and Saturday morning with the track rated a Heavy (10) on the eve of the raceday.
View the final fields with full form & race replays for Kembla Grange here