Gold Coast trainer Bryan Guy will be the least worried about the weather with his two-pronged attack on the Listed Ipswich Cup on Saturday.
Weather forecasts have been hit and miss this winter but showers have been forecast for Ipswich throughout the weekend.
Guy won the Ipswich Cup (2150m) with $41 outsider Anagold last year on a slow track.
Anagold has seen been transferred to Mick Price in Melbourne but Guy has given himself two chances at a back-to-back double with mudlark Dienekes and dry tracker Noisy Ocean.
Both will be double figure odds but Guy is giving them more than roughies’ chances.
“They have both been set for this race while a couple of others haven’t,” Guy said.
Dienekes caught the eye at his most recent start when a fast-finishing second to Southerly in an 1800m race at Eagle Farm two weeks ago.
“He will be having his first crack at 2100m but he has won at 2000m so the trip will be no problem,” he said.
“Dienekes can race handy to the pace, so from barrier one he should a nice run.
“One thing, the weather won’t matter with him as he is good in both wet and dry conditions.”
However, Guy said Noisy Ocean would need a dry track to show his best having been unplaced in eight starts on slow and heavy going.
Guy has shown faith in 3kg claiming apprentice Janette Johnson by booking her for Dienekes while senior jockey Jim Byrne will ride Noisy Ocean.
“Dienekes goes well for Janette and Jim is a noted Ipswich track jockey,” he said.
“He has won the Cup a couple of times with clever rides.”
Guy has also booked Johnson for his improving galloper Regular in the Listed Eye Liner Stakes (1350m)on Saturday.
“Janette has ridden him in four of his six wins. He is a tricky horse to ride but he also goes well for her so why not stay with a winning combination,” Guy said.
In what could be a big day for them Johnson will ride two-year-old Grapevine for Guy in the Bundamba Plate (1100m).
Johnson was aboard Grapevine when she survived a protest to score at Ipswich at her last start.
“We have had this race in mind for Grapevine since the start of the carnival and she isn’t harshly weighted,” Guy said.
