Trainer Marc Conners was praying for the rain to tumble down on Tuesday but got such a downpour overnight that it backfired on him.
Conners’ noted mudlark Letchworth was due to run at the Australian Turf Club’s Hawkesbury meeting on Wednesday but heavy rain forced the races to be abandoned.
“I was praying for rain yesterday but we got too much and the races are off today, so that doesn’t help,” Conners said.
Instead, the five-year-old heavy track specialist will line up at Canterbury on Saturday in the Schweppes Handicap (1900m).
“He’s still going to get a wet track and that’s what he excels on,” the Warwick Farm trainer said.
“He’s had 10 starts on heavy tracks for four wins, a second and a third.
“He’s only won six races in total so that shows he is at his best in the wet. He just keeps going at the same speed through the heavy ground.”
Conners’ other Canterbury representatives, two-year-olds Treecat Magic and Lady Corleone, are untested in the wet and will line up against each other in the Australian Turf Club Handicap (1100m).
Lady Corleone has the advantage of race experience having made her debut with a sixth at Randwick on November 5.
Treecat Magic is making her debut on the back of two barrier trials.
“Lady Corleone’s run was very good first-up and she was unlucky not to run a place,” Conners said.
Stewards reported the filly pulled hard during the race, was blocked for a run and also checked at the 200 metre mark.
“It’s probably not exactly what you want in their first start in a race but to her credit she kept trying and I thought she finished the race off well,” Conners said.
“This race is a bit further and she worked yesterday (Tuesday) morning and seemed to get through the ground well.”
Treecat Magic is owned by Glenn and Viva Williams who also race Magic Millions winner Karuta Queen.
She will carry the same colours as Karuta Queen and be ridden by Karuta Queen’s regular jockey Tommy Berry.
Conners only hopes she can run as fast as the Neville Layt-trained flyer.
“She’s been making good improvement from her trials and we were happy with her trial the other day,” Conners said.
“She’s fit and this will give us a chance to see what she can do.”
Conners said getting to the Magic Millions Classic in January was the target if the daughter of Magic Albert could qualify.
AAP TURF
