Trainer Rob Heathcote staked a serious claim to win all three legs of the Doomben summer series after Work The Room's upset win at Eagle Farm on Saturday.Work The Room ($10), having his first start since August, stormed home from second last on the home turn to outclass stablemate Excellantes ($1.80 fav) by 1-1/4 lengths in the Better Build Constructions Handicap (1200m).Audacious Spirit ($3.60) was a half-head away third.Work The Room, a half-brother to former top stayer Zipping, and Excellante

Trainer Rob Heathcote staked a serious claim to win all three legs of the Doomben summer series after Work The Room's upset win at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Work The Room ($10), having his first start since August, stormed home from second last on the home turn to outclass stablemate Excellantes ($1.80 fav) by 1-1/4 lengths in the Better Build Constructions Handicap (1200m).

Audacious Spirit ($3.60) was a half-head away third.

Work The Room, a half-brother to former top stayer Zipping, and Excellantes are part of a strong team Heathcote has headed for the summer series which begins with the Group Three George Moore Stakes (1200m) on December 10.

Heathcote was surprised with the ease of Work The Room's win.

"I thought Excellantes would beat him over 1200 metres," Heathcote said.

"He wasn't the punter's pal last preparation but he's never missed a place first-up in his life.

"He's a very good horse but he's had a few hoof issues and he can be susceptible to catching bugs.

"His mission will be the Bernborough."

The Listed Bernborough Handicap (1615m) on December 31 is the final leg of the summer series and follows the Listed Lough Neagh Stakes (1350m) two weeks earlier.

Only one horse, the Gordon Yorke-trained Natural Destiny, has won all three legs of the summer series when successful in 2006-07 but Heathcote is hopeful of winning the series with different horses.

"I was happy with Excellantes' run but statistics don't lie. He's never won first-up," he said.

"He'll race again in two weeks and then go for the George Moore and Lough Neagh before the Magic Millions Cup in January."

Earlier, Gold Coast three-year-old Morning Captain booked a long-range Brisbane winter carnival campaign after landing successive city wins in the Bill Mullen Handicap (1400m).

Morning Captain, who won at Doomben last month, held on to score by three-quarters of a length over the fast-finishing Playtime with Tehuti a short half-head away third.

Trainer Kelly Doughty won't be tempted to step Morning Captain up in class to the Doomben summer series which begins next month and will spell the son of Danbird ahead of a winter campaign.

"This is still his first preparation and he'll go for a spell now to get ready for the Brisbane winter carnival," Doughty said.

Doughty doubts Morning Captain will measure as a prospect for the Group Two Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm in June and may keep him to shorter winter races.

"I've always thought he'd make the grade and he's a horse who can lead or take a sit," she said.

"A race like the (Listed) Queensland Day Plate over 1350 metres in the winter would be an ideal race for him."