Trainer Rob Heathcote believes a wide barrier draw won't be a disadvantage for Our Lukas in his bid to become the first horse to win two Listed Ipswich Cups.Our Lukas has the outside barrier, 14, and 56 kilograms, 3kg more than he carried in last year's Ipswich Cup victory, and Heathcote admits he's not as confident about this year's 2150-metre feature on Saturday.The Ipswich Cup was first run in 1860 and Ipswich Turf Club officials say no horse has won the race twice.Heathcote rates this year's

Trainer Rob Heathcote believes a wide barrier draw won't be a disadvantage for Our Lukas in his bid to become the first horse to win two Listed Ipswich Cups.

Our Lukas has the outside barrier, 14, and 56 kilograms, 3kg more than he carried in last year's Ipswich Cup victory, and Heathcote admits he's not as confident about this year's 2150-metre feature on Saturday.

The Ipswich Cup was first run in 1860 and Ipswich Turf Club officials say no horse has won the race twice.

Heathcote rates this year's Cup field as stronger than last year's race and has great respect for Kiwi pair Sir Time Keeper and Sir Slick as well as Victorian Baughurst and local galloper Teary Eyed.

"Last year's race had more numbers but this year has the better quality," Heathcote said.

"Baughurst is a top quality stayer and I'm not underestimating him or any of the others including the Kiwi runners.

"The alley doesn't worry me. I wanted to draw wide with him.

"The last time he won he drew well but was slow away and had Rockdale clear a passage for him.

"The horse can dwell at the start and it would be dangerous for him if he had an inside draw."

Heathcote doesn't expect Our Lukas will lead like he did last year when he was taken to the front by Larry Cassidy to win the Cup.

Stathi Katsidis, who won the Group One AJC Australian Derby and Group One Randwick Guineas on Shoot Out during the autumn, will ride the six-year-old for the third successive time.

Katsidis had his first ride on Our Lukas when runner-up to Rothesay in the Group Three Lord Mayor's Cup at Doomben last month before winning the Listed Strawberry Road Handicap at Eagle Farm last Saturday.

Katsidis is yet to win an Ipswich Cup.

Heathcote doesn't expect to see Our Lukas involved in a speed battle with likely leader Sir Time Keeper, who will be ridden by Gold Coast jockey Laura Cheshire, and stablemate Sir Slick.

Glen Colless has answered an SOS from trainer Graeme Nicholson to be reunited with Sir Slick after last-start rider David Walsh returned to New Zealand following their Brisbane Cup failure last Saturday.

Colless rode Sir Slick five times last winter for three Group placings in the Hollindale Stakes, Chairman's Handicap and Doomben Cup.

Nicholson favours Sir Time Keeper as his better hope of winning before he returns home to New Zealand.

"In my opinion Sir Time Keeper will lead. He has a high cruising speed and I don't want to change things with him," Nicholson said.

"I don't want to see him pull so he'll lead and Sir Slick will take a trail.

"But Sir Slick is capable of anything and he'll lead from his good draw early on but I expect his stablemate will go around him."

Nicholson rates Our Lukas as the biggest threat to his pair over fellow Kiwi runners Sand Hawk, Solid Billing and Calatrava.

"I'm not bagging the other New Zealand runners but I don't see them as a threat," he said.