Kubis needs a change of luck at Doomben

Robert Heathcote has trained more than 1100 winners but he struggles to think of an unluckier horse than Kubis.

The four-year-old will be having his 18th start in the McIntyre Centre Riding for Disabled Handicap (1640m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Heathcote believes Kubis should be talked about as a much better horse than his record shows.

“You look at his record and it reads 17 starts for one win, seven seconds and a third. But if you look closer you will see he has never finished worse than fifth,” Heathcote said.

“As a two and three-year-old he picked up QTIS bonus money in every race. But for all that it should be so much more.”

“He continually draws unsuitable barriers or runs into trouble.”

Heathcote felt Kubis could break his run of bad luck on Saturday until the barrier draw.

“I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised when he drew 15. He is going to want some real luck to win now,” Heathcote said.

Kubis will again meet handy four-year-old Meet And Greet who relegated him to second at Doomben two weeks ago.

Owner Nevillle Bell has put plans to test Meet And Greet over a distance on hold to contest Saturday’s race.

Bell who races Meet And Greet with his wife Mary, has had success with sprinters including Ombra Della Sera and Chosen to Fly but would love to breed a stayer to rival 1999 Caulfield Cup winner Sky Heights who he part-owned.

He mixes being chairman of the Brisbane Racing Club with running Kilto Park, a breeding and spelling complex north of Brisbane, and once stood Meet and Greet’s sire Champions Gallery.

Bell sent his mare She’s Neat, who is by multiple Group One winner Kinjite, to Champions Gallery who won staying races in Europe and was placed in the Hong Kong Derby.

“I am keen to try him at 2000 metres but this race suits better,” Bell said.

Meet And Greet is trained by John Meagher who will also have Monteux in the 2040m-Open Handicap on Saturday.