South Australian skyrocket Victa Damian is on a ‘Maturity mission’.

He’s on a journey to ultimately become the first ‘Croweater’ to claim the Maturity Classic – an age-restricted feature for female and male greyhounds – since its inception in 1970.

Victa Damian is also striving for a second G1 success, having saluted in this year’s National Derby – at only his 11^th start – at Wentworth Park in Sydney.

And his trainer, Lisa Rasmussen, has indicated he’s ready for ‘lift-off’!

Victa Damian (Box 1) lines up in Heat 2 (Race 6, 8.12pm) of the KCR Pet Transport Maturity Classic (525m) at The Meadows on Saturday night.

“He’d be one of the best dogs you’ve ever seen if he could only ‘come out’ of the boxes.”

He’s $2.15 favourite on Sportsbet to land his heat and on the third line of betting for next week’s $100,000 to-the-winner final at $6.50, behind Launch Code ($5) and Baby Jaycee ($5.50).

“He’s come up good, he’s ready to go,” Rasmussen said. “I’m not 100 per cent sure he wants the ‘red’, but it could prove a blessing in disguise.

“He likes The Meadows; he just needs a clear run.”

Victa Damian – a winner of 14 races from 23 starts – won a heat of this year’s G1 Australian Cup from Box 1 in a sizzling 29.70sec prior to finishing third to Fernando Mick in the final. (NB. He’s unbeaten in four starts from the ‘red’ alley.)

Back in May, he progressed undefeated in the G3 Howard Ashton series on his home track at Angle Park – heat (29.86sec – equalling Wow She’s Fast’s track record), semi-final (30.04sec) and final (30.21sec).

WATCH: VICTA DAMIAN (B1) clocks a flying 29.70sec victory in an Australian Cup heat on February 18.

In all three races, he accounted for kennelmate Live It – by 11L, 7.5L and 9.25L respectively.

Last month, Victa Damian finished fifth to Victorian Dundee Rebel in the G2 Flying Amy Classic at Albion Park in Brisbane and at his most recent start was fifth in a Listed Brisbane Cup Consolation.

“He’s just a classy animal,” Rasmussen said. “He’d be one of the best dogs you’ve ever seen if he could only ‘come out’ of the boxes.

“He’ll stay in sprinting ranks until the end of the year and then we’ll decide if he steps up over more ground.”

Rasmussen added that Victa Damian and his littermates arrived at their complex at Gifford Hill (approx. 10km south-west of Murray Bridge) around 16 months of age for pre-training after completing breaking-in.

“We knew he was special when Dave Knocker (greyhound educator) told us ‘he’s a freak of a dog’.”

Rasmussen also has Live It (Box 1) engaged in Heat 1 (Race 5, 7.51pm).

“His past couple of runs at Angle Park have been enormous,” she said. “We were nearly giving up on him, but he has surprised the hell out of us.

“He’s just not making up the numbers… I think the penny has dropped.”

Meanwhile, two heats of the G3 KCR Fireball (730m) will be decided on the program.

‘Old marvel’ Jarick Bale (Box 2) – who was runner-up in last year’s event – will contest Heat 2 (Race 4, 7.31pm).

Prepared by Mark Delbridge, Jarick Bale – a triple G1 winner – showed a glimpse of his brilliant best when third in the G2 McKenna Memorial.

He’s $4.40 on Sportsbet, behind Untapped ($2) and Moraine Suzie ($3.20).

Ariarne Bale is $2.15F in the other heat, ahead of Alfie Moon ($3.30) and Sunnyside Zeus ($5).