In-form jockey Jim Byrne is set to pass another career milestone when he rides Leebaz in the Group One Doomben Cup on Saturday.

Byrne is poised to join Mike Pelling in riding 1100 Brisbane metropolitan winners.

The 44-year-old has booted home 1098 Brisbane winners since first bursting onto the scene as a star apprentice 26 years ago.

Byrne and the retired Pelling spent most of their riding careers in Brisbane rather than following other top jockeys interstate and overseas.

The start of the winter carnival has seen Byrne in fine form, riding three stakes winners at the first two meetings.

Byrne and apprentice Luke Tarrant are locked in a battle for the Brisbane premiership with the score 51-all after the senior jockey rode a winner at Ipswich on Wednesday.

"It is far too early to be talking about premierships. We have to get through the winter first," said the three time premier rider Byrne.

Byrne believes Leebaz will give him a perfect chance to win his first Brisbane Group One race since Adam took the 1999 Stradbroke Handicap.

"He looks a very good ride. His win in the Hollindale Stakes was good and that race is a good guide to the Doomben Cup."

Leebaz is in line to become the eighth horse to complete the Hollindale-Doomben Cup double in the same season.

Hawkes Racing has a great chance of completing the Group One double on Saturday as the stable saddles up the BTC Cup favourite Our Boy Malachi.

Co trainer Michael Hawkes said both horses were working up nicely towards Saturday.

"The Doomben Cup is the race we have been talking about all along for Leebaz and he ran second in this race last year to a top mare in Streama."