Trainer Stuart Kendrick is faced with a delicate balancing act as he decides whether to run honest mare Hingus Rose in the Listed Lough Neagh Stakes at Doomben.
Hingus Rose has drawn barrier 13 in a field of 14 and on a good track would start long odds.
Although she has won three times on firm surfaces, the mare is a superior wet tracker.
Kendrick had planned to run Hingus Rose in a benchmark race on Saturday week but was taken by a weather report early in this week.
“The prediction is for rain on Friday getting heavier as the day wears on on Saturday,” he said.
“Most times I wouldn’t run her against the Lough Neagh field from that barrier but I went through them and a lot of them don’t appear to handle heavy tracks.
“I mean I would normally scratch her from the barrier and wait a week but if it is wet on Saturday it is her chance to get black-type.
“I will just have to balance things and try to predict what the weather will do.”
The trainer believes he will know after Saturday if he has a genuine Magic Millions 2YO Classic horse in Well Prepared.
The colt won his only start at the Gold Coast last month and is just outside the current field for the Classic at the Gold Coast on January 12.
“Damian Browne will ride him again and we should get a clear idea where he is at,” Kendrick said.
“He has a nice barrier and there should be no excuses. If he races well we will press on to the Millions but if not we will lower our sights.
