Forecast rain and already favourable track conditions should enable The Monstar to make his comeback during the Scone Carnival.
The seven-year-old gelding has been waiting for the right conditions to run his first race since December, and for trainer Brett Cavanough it looks like there is no place like home.
He had hoped to start The Monstar in the Listed Hawkesbury Gold Rush last month but did not want to risk him on good tracks early in his preparation.
Cavanough has liked what he’s seen of Scone’s surface this week.
“Our track is probably a soft five at the moment,” he said.
“I don’t think I’ve seen Scone rock-hard as it’s a forgiving sand-based surface with a good cover of grass,” he said.
“They’ve been punching the water into it so it’ll be a bit different to what was produced at Hawkesbury.”
Cavanough has nominated The Monstar for two races on Saturday and is leaning towards the Listed Luskin Star Stakes (1300m) over the Listed Ortensia Stakes (1100m).
“I don’t know if he’s as sharp as he was,” he said.
“A young, sharp horse might bring him undone but at 1300 he might just get a softer run in the first three or four and be good late.”
Cavanough has also dual-nominated former Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly See Me Rock for her third start since leaving Sydney.
She will race in the Ortensia Stakes or the Listed Denise’s Joy Stakes (1100m), her first crack at black-type.
After four starts for Waterhouse and Bott, the versatile three-year-old has recorded a third at Wellington and a win at Dubbo over 1100m and 1000m respectively.
“She’s been good on the speed first-up and the other day she was brilliant late. Is she up to this grade? There’s only one way to find out,” Cavanough said.
Falerina, another three-year-old filly, will need the right draw for Cavanough to run her in the Denise’s Joy Stakes.
“She’ll want everything in her favour otherwise she’ll go to a Highway (Handicap) in a fortnight,” he said.
