Astute Queensland trainer Robbie Heathcote is hoping Ipswich Cup winner Our Lukas will be the horse to break his Sydney hoodoo in the Group Two Villiers Stakes at Randwick.Heathcote has had several placegetters in Sydney, including Funtantes who was a long neck second to Stryker in the Listed Heritage Stakes in September, but is still chasing an elusive win."I've had a few seconds but I've never won one," Heathcote said."We recently ran second in the Heritage with Funtantes and we were a bit unl

Astute Queensland trainer Robbie Heathcote is hoping Ipswich Cup winner Our Lukas will be the horse to break his Sydney hoodoo in the Group Two Villiers Stakes at Randwick.

Heathcote has had several placegetters in Sydney, including Funtantes who was a long neck second to Stryker in the Listed Heritage Stakes in September, but is still chasing an elusive win.

"I've had a few seconds but I've never won one," Heathcote said.

"We recently ran second in the Heritage with Funtantes and we were a bit unlucky there, and I ran second in a Summer Cup a few years ago with Game On.

"I'm hoping to break my maiden."

Heathcote has taken the precaution of nominating Our Lukas for a 2020 metre Open Handicap at Doomben on Saturday but is favouring a trip to Randwick.

He will make a final decision later this week but says he has had the Villiers (1600m) in mind since Our Lukas led throughout to claim the Listed Ipswich Cup (2150m) in June.

"As far back as then we looked at the Christmas program, he is a dual Listed winner so you need to look at some of the better races," Heathcote said.

"He is an Ipswich Cup winner over 2150 metres and in my experience, you need a good 2000 metre horse to win a tough mile race at Randwick like the Villiers."

Our Lukas won the Listed Brisbane Hcp (1600m) at Eagle Farm at his third run back from a spell then lost all winning chance in the Recognition Stakes (1600m) last start when his saddle slipped and he beat just one runner home.

Michael Cahill has been booked to ride him in the Villiers, which has attracted 17 nominations.

Darley's Peter Snowden will chase his first win in the race as a trainer in his own right and could have up to three runners in Spinney, Offenders and Togni.

Gai Waterhouse will launch a two-pronged assault in her bid to win the Villiers for a second time with Rockwood and Festival Stakes winner Rabbuka after claiming the feature with Aqua D'Amore in 2005.

Aqua D'Amore is one of four mares to have won the Villiers in the past 20 years and there could be three trying to better that record on Saturday - the Gary Portelli-trained Hairy, Love And Kisses for Chris Waller and Grahame Begg's last start winner Palacio De Cristal.