Lady Day after winning at Kyneton (Image: Racing Photos)
Racing is a dreamer's game and Peter Burgun is daring to dream.
For more than three decades, the Benalla horseman has toiled away from dawn until dusk in the hope of unearthing 'that one good horse' that all trainers yearn for.
And he may just have found it in the form of emerging filly Lady Day, who will chase a hat-trick of wins in Friday night's Group 3 Typhoon Tracy Stakes (1200m) at The Valley.
While he's tackled Listed races before and saddled up a winner at The Valley several years ago, Burgun - who has been training since 1983 - has never had a runner in a Group race.
"I'm a bloody battler," Burgun said.
"I've never had a runner in a Group race before so it's pretty exciting for us.
"We only work between six and eight horses.
"And we bred her so it makes it that little bit more special, for sure."
WATCH: Lady Day's last-start win
The daughter of Stryker has been a revelation in recent weeks, breaking her maiden on her home track by almost four lengths before backing it up with a similarly dominant performance in a Class 1 Handicap at Kyneton.
The wins this preparation have been in stark contrast to the filly's first campaign, where she was beaten a collective 25 lengths in four starts.
Burgun is putting the improvement down to physical and mental maturity, although he admits she'll need to go to a new level on Friday night to match it with the likes of Multaja, Crack The Code and Humma Humma.
But while the bookies don't rate her chances - Lady Day opened at $51 with Sportsbet - the trainer believes his three-year-old isn't just making up the numbers.
"I really do think she's a chance of running a big race," he said.
"It's obviously a big jump in class but it was a pretty soft win last time and she pulled up super.
"Her work since has been great and she's drawn perfectly.
"She's got pretty good gate speed so we might as well use it and give them something to chase."
A blowout result is not without precedent in the Typhoon Tracy Stakes with Brugal Reward ($31), Written Dash ($101) and Jazz Song ($51) causing boilovers in recent years.