Plans to give Touristic a shot at going one better in the Grafton Cup could be thwarted by the weather with trainer Peter Snowden lukewarm on running if the track remains firm.
The gelding was narrowly beaten by Deny Knowledge in the corresponding race 12 months ago and Snowden was keen to give him another opportunity in the country staying feature on Thursday.
However, the six-year-old’s best efforts have been on rain-affected ground and with Grafton rated in the good range, Snowden is weighing up whether to head to the Grafton Cup (2350m) or wait for another day.
“I had in my mind to go but a lot will depend on the track and they’re not getting a lot of rain up there at the moment,” Snowden said.
“But he went up last year and ran a cracker.
“Saturday morning his work was fantastic. He is not showing any signs at all that he has had enough.”
Touristic launched his current campaign in January and has raced every month since, highlighted by his win in the Listed Lord Mayors Cup (2000m) in May.
At his most recent appearance he closed late for fourth behind import Elamaz in the McKell Cup (2000m) and Snowden said he had continued to thrive.
‘He lives a pretty charmed life. He is spoiled a fair bit,” he said.
“But he’s an older horse who enjoys his racing. He enjoys the stable life and he is looking great.”
Ciaron Maher is also weighing his options with Glory Daze and like Snowden would prefer a rain-affected track.
A winner on heavy ground at Randwick three starts back, Glory Daze finished third on a good surface in the McKell Cup last start but has also been paid up for a 2000m event at Flemington on Saturday.
“He ran very well on a dry track the other day but he’s not a horse we want to run on dry tracks too often,” Maher’s assistant Johann Gerard-Dubord said.
“There is an option in Melbourne too at Flemington. It’s an open handicap but we’ll have a few in there so we will play it by ear
“But he’s ready to go.”
