Fearing the worst, track manager at The Valley Marty Synan has not applied any water to track ahead of the Cox Plate Qualifier meeting.
Melbourne’s weather forecast has all week been for heavy rain on Friday with more rain on Saturday.
Synan said rain was still forecast for Friday, but the rain on Saturday had been downgraded to showers, mainly in the morning.
Rain last Saturday night saw just under 5mm fall at The Valley and with warm weather on Wednesday and Thursday and again on Friday morning, the track was rated a Good 3, almost a Firm 2.
But if the predicted rain falls, between 1pm and 9pm on Friday, it will save Synan the headache of having to water.
“If we get 10mm, we’ll be on a good track, if we get 20mm we’ll be on a slow track and 30mm we’ll on a heavy track,” Synan said.
“Hopefully we only get 10mm and we’re on a good track.”
Synan said he hopes the rain stays away on Saturday as rain during the day can see the track deteriorate quite quickly.
“My hope is we don’t get rain during the races, and it races beautifully,” Synan said.
One trainer who would like to see more rain than less, is Godolphin’s James Cummings who will saddle Larkspur Run in the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m).
The Shamardal filly is a two-time winner from five starts, with both wins coming on affected ground.
Larkspur Run ended her first campaign with a win at Newcastle on a soft track in February while first-up she won on a heavy track in July.
She last raced finishing last on a good track at Randwick in early August.
“Larkspur Run has her own scuba set,” Cummings said.
“She won fresh-up on a very wet track at Canterbury and the prospect of a wet track brings her much more into this race.”
