During his days as a sports and racing journalist Brian Burke often wrote stories about battlers making good but he never thought he would be the subject of one.

Burke bred and part-owns Soxagon who is aiming for his third straight win in a 1600m-race at Doomben on Saturday.

Soxagon is the product of a mare who cost $600 and his sire covered only a few mares.

Burke wrote racing and sports for various newspapers before retiring in 2012.

He has a strong background in racing having worked for Melbourne trainer Tommy Hughes in his school and university days.

Burke is a keen student of breeding and had always wanted to breed a top class horse.

When he retired, he moved to a property at Cooroy, near Noosa, where he kept two broodmares including Strike On Goal who cost him $600.

“I liked her breeding being by Van Nistelrooy out of a Carnegie mare,” Burke said.

“We got three foals out of her – Towel Token, Danniwillbreezeonby and now Soxagon who have all won.”

Soxagon's sire is stakes-placed sprinter Rocker.

Soxagon won his maiden by 10 lengths and finished second to Hong Kong bound Millard's Reaction before a spell but has bloomed further since returning.

“Mark (trainer Currie) has got Soxagon really firing and he is out to 1600 metres on Saturday,” Burke said.

“I have been around too long to get too excited and I am just enjoying his journey.”