If the four-year-old bay mare wins the $100,000 qualifier - one of seven across the state - or finishes second she will earn a place in the $300,000 final at Royal Randwick, to be held on April 11 during the prestigious autumn carnival.

“Oh my word, it would be very exciting to have a runner at Randwick in the final,” Brasch said, set to be joined by fellow Orange trainer Lee Van Den Bos in Bathurst as Belfrey Bat prepares to jump from barrier four.

“The championship is worth $300,000 so if she can jag a first or second place then she’ll go through. That’s definitely what we’re looking for.

“I’m counting down the days, just to have a runner good enough to compete is something else.”

A bonafide champion over distances 1300 metres or less, Sunday will be Vortuka’s maiden run over 1400 and Brasch admitted there will be scepticism over the mare’s ability over the extra metres.

However, Brasch pointed to Vortuka’s dam Misasio, which placed several times at Canterbury over 1550 metres as an indicator of his horse’s calibre and pedigree.

“I’m just hoping she throws to her dam’s side,” Brasch laughed.

“Her mother was a smaller mare, and I think with Vortuka being a bit bigger she’ll handle the extra distance fine. I think she’ll acquit herself well.”

With five wins in 14 starts, Brasch labelled the mare’s barrier draw “awkward” but said he has complete faith in jockey Nigel Seymour.

“If the emergencies don’t get a run she’ll run out of (barrier) 10,” Brasch said.

“But I’ll let Nige take care of how he handles that. I’ve got the benefit of having had Nigel ride her plenty before, and in track work, so he knows how she needs to be ridden.

“In fact, he had her on Tuesday and was very happy with the way she went, and I’m confident he’ll do a good job.”

The CDRA Country Championship qualifier is the seventh at Bathurst on Sunday, and jumps at 4.30pm. The TAB-meeting kicks off at 12.45pm.