There are plenty of horses which have excuses even before they get to the races on a Saturday but Border Rebel is certainly not one of them.

His uncanny knack of picking up the inside gate draw has continued again with barrier one locked in for the Doomben 10,000.

In a  field where he’ll need absolutely everything going his way it’s a good start and comes as not much of a shock to trainer Sue Grills.

“I can’t complain about that that’s for sure,” she said.

“I think he’s got gate one in at least a third of his starts.”

It’s going to take plenty more than a barrier to win him the race though and the Doomben 10,000 is a huge step up from his run at Scone.

Having said that he had to contend with a big weight on that day and he was near enough to Group 1 champion Atomic Force.

“He’s doing really well since Scone, he had a galloped yesterday morning,” Grills said.

“I was very happy with his run in Scone it was second up and they ran a class record.”

Border Rebel is a horse that likes to be near the pace but Grills isn’t sure leading on Saturday will be a smart idea.

Hay List is in tremendous form and will take plenty of beating as a clear short priced favourite.

“It would be suicidal to take Hay List on all the way,” she said.

“If Border Rebel can run a place in this I’ll be happy.”

Like many others the ultimate goal is probably not this weekend by the Stradbroke Handicap, a race that probably won’t feature Hay List but if it does they’ll at least meet him much better on weight.

“Border Rebel is going to drops 4.5kgs in the Stradbroke, I just hope he draws one again,” she said.

Grills is also hoping for more rain during the week and says the more give in the track the better for him on race day.

“I don’t mind if it stays a slow six, it would suit Border Rebel better,” she said.