Rain Affair has started favourite in every race he has contested and that’s not likely to change in Saturday’s Expressway Stakes at Rosehill.
The winner of eight of his nine starts, the imposing four-year-old steps up to Group Two company for the first time in the 1200m feature with a fitness edge on most of his rivals.
Rain Affair won the Carrington Stakes on January 2 after which Joe Pride decided not to run him again in January on tracks he deemed much too hard.
The gelding was kept up to the mark during his few weeks off and a seven-length barrier trial win last week showed he was on target for his next assignment.
A dramatic turn in the weather has ensured there will not be a repeat on Saturday of the rock-hard surface that distressed Pride and with two of Rain Affair’s wins on heavy ground, Pride’s confidence is sky high.
“He is a tough horse and he is in for a big preparation,” Pride said.
“I think he has got a bit of a head start on his opposition.
“I wouldn’t want to be tackling a field of this quality first-up so having that run under his belt helps and he’s a horse that improves with racing.”
The Newmarket Handicap down the Flemington straight next month is just one of the Group One options Pride has in mind for Rain Affair.
The 15 nominations for the Expressway include Group One winners Rangirangdoo, Shoot Out, Manawanui, Sniper’s Bullet, Danleigh, Eagle Falls and the Pride-trained Sacred Choice.
The winner of the 2011 Doncaster, Sacred Choice will be an acceptor for the Expressway with the promise of a soft track.
“She will have a similar campaign to last year heading to the Doncaster,” Pride said.
“She trialled well and is right to go.”
Sacred Choice won the 2010 Myer Classic on a heavy track at Flemington and last spring put in her best run of the preparation when second to Hurtle Myrtle in the same race.
Her Doncaster win was also on heavy and although she has four wins on good, she excels in the wet.
Manawanui is increasingly more likely to be saved for the Royal Sovereign Stakes on February 18 while Eagle Falls will run at Caulfield.
Ron Leemon, trainer of Manawanui who won a barrier trial on Tuesday morning, said he had missed two pieces of work due to last week’s deluge which forced the cancellation of racing at Warwick Farm on Saturday.
Jockey Glyn Schofield will then have to decide whether to partner Hay List in the Lightning Stakes at Flemington on Saturday week or stay in Sydney to maintain his association with Manawanui.
AAP TURF
