A Group One victory in the TJ Smith Stakes on Saturday would bring great satisfaction to top jockey Corey Brown.
Brown has already won a TJ Smith on popular sprinter Apache Cat four years ago but says Sydney’s exciting sprinter Rain Affair and his owner Don Storey deserve a victory at the elite level in the Randwick sprint.
Rain Affair has won 11 of his 13 races and is unbeaten in his past 10 starts on Sydney tracks.
The only blemish in his past 11 starts was when he was beaten into sixth place in the Newmarket Handicap last month in Melbourne in his first Group One outing.
Rain Affair returned to Sydney and turned in a typically gutsy performance to win the Group Two Challenge Stakes (1100m) two weeks ago.
“I’m hoping he can win tomorrow, more for the horse and also for the owner,” Brown said.
“I think the horse deserves a Group One beside his name.
“Joe (Pride) has done a super job putting him through his classes and he’s been well placed and is just a tough horse.
“For Don Storey as well it would be great if he could win. I’m just happy for him to have a horse like this at this stage of his life.
“They both deserve a Group One beside their name.”
Rain Affair is the $2.15 favourite with TAB Sportsbet just ahead of the last-start Group One weight-for-age winner Foxwedge at $2.20.
Brown knows Foxwedge well having won on the colt in his first start as a two-year-old and also when he finished second to Smart Missile in the Run To The Rose last August.
Brown rates Foxwedge as the hardest to beat but also has plenty of respect for Rain Affair’s stablemate Neeson.
Foxwedge claimed a breakthrough Group One with a victory over Hay List in the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley last start to secure his future at stud.
“Although Hay List probably wasn’t at his very best the other day, I think Foxwedge’s win and the way he attacked the line was good,” Brown said of his main rival.
“I know he’ll be stalking me. He got his Group One last start which he was deserved of and this time I just hope my bloke can hold him out.
“I know my bloke will be out in front and I guarantee he’ll take a fair bit of running down.”
