Rockhampton hero ready for Sydney challenge

Saturday's Rosehill meeting will see a former Rockhampton-based galloper aiming to capture an astonishing 14th win from 16 starts.

Our Boy Malachi will embark on the next chapter of his career with Hawkes Racing on Saturday after accumulating a near perfect record in north Queensland with trainer John O'Sing.

"The owners felt it was time to give him a chance in the big time,” Michael Hawkes, who trains in partnership with brother Wayne and father John, said.

"Not many horses have done what he's done.

"He's a big strong horse and you can understand why he's won 13 races when you look at him.”

Our Boy Malachi's extraordinary career began in a Mackay two-year-old handicap back in May of 2011. The son of Top Echelon finished runner-up at his debut, four lengths astern of the winner.

However few could have predicted the horse would go on to win his next 11 starts by a combined 40 lengths, including an 11-1/2 length demolition in a Gympie maiden and a 7-1/2 length romp in a class three contest at Mackay.

It wasn't long before Our Boy Malachi became a bookmaker's nightmare as he saluted at Black Caviar-esque odds for most of his winning streak.

Our Boy Malachi's dream run came to a halt in May of this year when having his first crack at Stakes level.

After a successful metropolitan debut in a benchmark 90 event at Eagle Farm, Our Boy Malachi went into the Listed Bribie Handicap at Doomben as a $2.80 favourite but finished three lengths away in fifth.

He then returned to his winning ways back in North Queensland with two consecutive kills before making the switch to Sydney.

The prolific winning record of Our Boy Malachi will be put to the test in Saturday's Turner Freeman Lawyers Flying (1100m) which has assembled of field of just six runners.

Hawkes admits that the stable is "still learning about the horse" but is confident their new acquisition will step up to the challenge.

"He's a lovely horse, it's the right race for him,” he said "It's a small competitive field and whatever he does on Saturday he'll definitely improve off.

"He's carried some big weights in the past and goes back to the minimum.”

Our Boy Malachi will be ridden by Jay Ford and is currently the $2.10 favourite with online bookmaker Sportsbet.