Gore trainer Ellis Winsloe has one eye on the weather ahead of his team of seven horses lining up on Wyndham Cup day tomorrow.
Winsloe is hoping for a dry surface for two of his biggest chances but if that does not eventuate, it may be left to the rest of his runners to put their hoof in the till.
The Wyndham track had a dead4 rating yesterday, but the possibility of a downgrade has Winsloe concerned about the chances of his Wyndham Cup runner, Thought That.
A dry surface was particularly important for the horse, given he is stepping into open company for the first time.
‘‘I would like to see him racing on a good track, racing those ones.’’
Those good ones are headed by top-weight Revelator, back to defend his cup crown from last year.
Winsloe rates Thought That a good chance of measuring up to the rise in class and will use the race as a guide to the horse’s short-term future.
‘‘It is going to give us a leveller — we are thinking whether we are going to put him out or go to the Riverton Cup.’’
The Gore horseman rates Smokem Up, who also lines up over 2000m tomorrow, as another strong chance on a reasonably dry track.
‘‘He is another one that is good on top of the ground and 2000m is right up his alley.’’
It is not rain that is Winsloe’s first concern with Accidental Offside in race 4.
The galloper fought his rider, Chris Johnson, throughout his last start at Wingatui.
The horse’s chances would rely on him being able to ‘‘settle in behind’’.
If the track keeps a dead rating, it should help him; two of his three wins have came on a dead surface.
Sprinter Irish Excuse, Accidental Offside’s classy older brother, returns to racing tomorrow.
The 6yr-old has been freshened since last racing at Wingatui on Boxing Day.
‘‘He has had time out — he may need the run. He went good here last year fresh. He only ran fourth, but he couldn’t get out,’’ Winsloe said.
Should rain affect the Wyndham track, Irish Excuse will join Consolidate and jumper Tai Ho in race 6 as Winsloe’s better chances.
Knutquacker in race 9 is one that will relish a wetter track, too, the trainer said.
‘‘She has always been better on wet tracks. All of her best races last year were on wet tracks.’’
Rain is likely to affect Ellerslie after Auckland saw a downpour yesterday afternoon. Prior to the rain, the track was rated, like Wyndham, as dead. Should that rating deteriorate, it will only enhance the chances of favourites Five To Midnight, Megablast and Mister Impatiance, who all have strong records on rain-affected ground.
Rain could also help the Bonecrusher Stakes second favourite, Sofia Rosa. She has not started on a heavy track, but her slow track record is four starts for two wins.
Her two runs this time back have been excellent and from her barrier 5 draw, she should be able to be placed anywhere rider Danielle Johnson would like.
- by Jonny Turner
- Additional reporting NZME
