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General Barca is heading straight to stakes company after a maiden win on the Paken synthetic.

Phillip Stokes is well aware the task confronting General Barca when he heads to Flemington. 

A debut winner on the synthetic track at Pakenham last Thursday, General Barca heads straight to stakes company on Saturday to contest the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m). 

Stokes realises it is a massive step up in grade from a maiden win at Pakenham on a Thursday evening, and in particular going from the synthetic track to the turf. 

But Stokes was impressed with the way the son of I Am Invincible went about his work at Pakenham in scoring. 

Settling in the second half of the field, General Barca rounded up the opposition to score by a half-length over the 1100m course. 

And the way General Barca went about his work, Stokes thinks the rise in trip to 1200m will be an advantage for the three-year-old. 

However, it will be a far different scenario on Saturday taking on the likes of Swiss Exile, the unbeaten Giga Kick, Cannonball, Buenos Noches and Spacewalk. 

"It's a big step up to the Danehill, but the owner wants to live the dream," Stokes said. 

"He wants to keep him as a colt as he's an I Am Invincible. 

"He's a nice horse and he couldn't have been any more impressive winning his maiden on the synthetic, but in saying that it is a massive jump up in class.  

"But on Saturday we'll get to see where he sits. If he shows he's up to it we can aim higher, otherwise we can come back a peg or two." 

General Barca opened a $23 outsider in Saturday's Group 2 race with TAB in which he has drawn barrier three for Daniel Moor. 

The Clayton Douglas-trained Giga Kick was the $2.40 favourite ahead of Buenos Noches ($4.40) and Spacewalk ($6).