A glance at Melbourne’s long-range weather forecast convinced Sydney trainer Matthew Smith to chance his arm with Rock My Wand in the Thousand Guineas Prelude.
The Bureau of Meteorology predicted showers in Melbourne on Friday and Saturday and Smith is hoping they fall over Caulfield.
Rock My Wand has raced twice on heavy tracks for a Rosehill win in April and a minor placing behind subsequent stakes winner Thermosphere.
If she gets similar conditions on Saturday, Smith thinks she can make her presence felt in Saturday’s Group Two, 1400m Thousand Guineas Prelude.
“If we get the rain and we get into a heavy track, I’m a genius. If it doesn’t rain, I’m an idiot,” Smith said.
“That’s why we sent her because she is a pretty good wet tracker but it probably needs to be a bit wet to help bring her into the race.
“But to be fair, she has been going the right way at home. Her work has been improving and her runs have improved.”
Rock My Wand resumed with a midfield effort on the Kensington track in August before a last-start second to Godolphin’s in-form mare Emanate at Canterbury.
The three-year-old arrived in Melbourne on Friday and Smith said she appeared to have coped well with her first interstate trip.
She is a $14 chance in an open betting race with unbeaten Adelaide filly Instant Celebrity holding market sway as a $3.10 TAB fixed odds favourite.
In a busy afternoon, Smith will also have three stakes runners in Sydney with Grey Lion and Attorney tackling the Group Three Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) and recent recruit Miss Siska the Group Two Shannon Stakes (1500m).
The former Victorian-trained mare backs up from a midfield effort in the Tibbie Stakes at Newcastle and while Smith says there is further improvement to come, he is happy she is on the right track.
“She is a big mare and I’m guessing she is going to take a couple of runs to get fit,” Smith said.
Article from JustHorseRacing.com.au
The post Matthew Smith takes a gamble on Melbourne weather first appeared on Just Horse Racing.