Foxton gelding He’s A Battler may be viewed as just that ahead of Saturday’s Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa, but anything can happen in horse racing and trainer Suzy Gordon is daring to dream of an upset in the $700,000 feature.

The lightly-raced eight-year-old has established a tidy record, winning seven of his 25 starts to date, albeit four on the synthetic, including his last-start over 2100m on the Riccarton Synthetic at the start of December.

“I know a lot of his wins have been on the synthetic, and he loves the synthetic, but he goes alright on the grass too,” Gordon said.

The wet summer thwarted Gordon’s initial summer plans, with the Horowhenua horsewoman hoping to give He’s A Battler a couple of stakes hit-outs before the Herbie Dyke.

“We were targeting him at a few races,” she said. “There was the Manawatu Cup (Gr.3, 2300m), Marton Cup (Listed, 2200m) and every time we would set him for something it would rain. He is no good on a wettish track.

“It would have been nice to have run him in one of those just to see where he is and whether he can measure up to a bit better company. It wasn’t meant to be so now he has been thrown in the deep end.”

The son of He’s Remarkable’s first stakes assignment will now be at elite-level, and while it will also be Gordon’s first time lining up a horse in a Group One, she said the task is less daunting given his juicy odds - $101 with TAB bookmakers.

“Being a 100-1 shot it’s not too bad. At least I don’t have too many expectations, it is just nice to have a horse in it,” she said.

“He is very well, but he is nine weeks between runs and he has only had a quiet jumpout, so hopefully he is fit enough. He goes best fresh.”

Gordon is also looking forward to rewarding stable apprentice jockey Liam Kauri with a Group One ride.

“Liam knows him very well, he has won four on him,” Gordon said. “The owner decided to stick with him because he knows the horse probably better than anybody.”

Kauri will have to use all his skillset on Saturday where he will have to overcome his outside gate in the 10-horse field.

“The draw isn’t ideal, I never seem to have any luck with draws,” Gordon said. “He will just get back anyway, so hopefully it works out alright in the end.”

Gordon will head north more hopeful than confident but is dreaming of a major upset so she can reward the support of He’s A Battler’s owner-breeder Roger Sugrue, who Gordon has known for several decades.

“I used to know Roger when he was training himself back at Awapuni when I was young. I rode a bit of trackwork for him, so I have known him for quite a long time,” Gordon said.

“I was pleased he was happy to go ahead with it (Herbie Dyke tilt). He (He’s A Battler) has won five of his last eight now, so he has done a good job, but this will be the biggest test that he has faced.”