Lisa Vaughan is between a rock and a hard place as she prepares for the Riverton feature meeting on Saturday.
The Ascot Park trainer would love to line up Our Bee Jay in the $60,000 Riverton Cup, Petty Lane in the mares feature, and Reeves Hall in a rating 75 staying test.
There is just one problem - Reeves Hall needs the rain to come and Our Bee Jay won't run if the rain turns up at Riverton.
Petty Lane is better on a firmer surface, but is probably the most equipped of Vaughan's trio for any conditions when she takes on Sucre and others in the $30,000 1400m affair.
''She's better if the track's a little bit better but she's placed on the heavy tracks,'' she said.
''If it stays a nice dead [track], it will definitely help her.''
The Danroad mare battled bravely when running third to Sucre at Ascot Park on March 29, a run that gained in merit when she returned to the birdcage.
''She got galloped on turning into the straight quite badly, so she had a cut up the back of her leg. That stopped her in her tracks a little bit and she didn't try quite as hard after that.''
Vaughan expects jockey Kylie Williams will allow Petty Lane to work to the lead even from barrier 8.
''She would have been better off drawn in but she'll get there quietly on her own.''
Our Bee Jay did not handle the deep Riccarton track at all last Saturday in the Canterbury Gold Cup but Vaughan has been happy with him since.
''It was bottomless and he hadn't had a run for a while,'' she said.
''Kylie didn't knock him round once he wasn't handling it. He came back in good order and he's done really well since, actually. He basically had a training gallop around there.''
Vaughan may head out and take a look at the track if rain falls between now and Saturday.
''I'll have to go and have a look at it and see how bad it is.
''He's the sort of horse that does well racing fresh and he likes it the firmer the better, really.''
If he does run, expect the son of Danske to take up his usual front-running role.
''He'll get [to the front] easily and hopefully have it all his own way, which he quite likes.''
Vaughan is bullish about the chances of Reeves Hall, who recovered well after being kicked before the start of his last run, at Ascot Park on March 29.
''He was a wee bit sore - there was nothing major - but when he jumped out that day, he landed on his nose and it knocked his confidence a little bit.
''It was still a good run, considering he likes it a wee bit wetter and I'm really happy with him. He's working a real treat and he's good as I've ever had him, I think.
Vaughan also had Molly Maree (race 1) entered, but the mare is sixth on the ballot for the 1400m maiden.
