Christian Reith is hoping sunshine doesn’t thwart his opportunity at reuniting with Rain Affair in Saturday’s All Aged Stakes at Randwick.
Reith has been given the call up to partner Rain Affair in the 1400m Group One on the final day of the Sydney Carnival, but clear skies are not what the jockey and also trainer Joe Pride are hoping for.
Pride has said a dry track could sway him from starting Rain Affair as he also has his eyes on taking the sprinter to Brisbane.
Rain Affair, a noted wet track performer, is one of six rivals set to take on Atlantic Jewel in the All Aged after the final field was declared on Thursday.
The unbeaten Atlantic Jewel was installed as $1.22 favourite with TAB Sportsbet ahead of Rain Affair at $6 with Randwick rated a dead (4).
With a suspension to the gelding’s regular jockey Corey Brown, Reith was given the opportunity to reunite with the exciting frontrunner having won on him at Canterbury in May last year.
“It would have been nice if this race was a week earlier,” Reith said after rain lashed Sydney last week.
“It’s a very hard race, 1400 metres and there’s probably something right out of the box in Atlantic Jewel in the race.
“But my bloke is racing very well and if he puts his best foot forward on Saturday he’ll definitely be hard to beat.
“I’m just rapt to be able to fill in for Corey (Brown) and rapt at the faith that (owner) Don Storey and Joe (Pride) have shown in me to give me the chance to ride him in the race.”
Reith says his job will be to ensure Rain Affair gets into a comfortable rhythm.
Rain Affair won the Group Two Apollo Stakes at his only attempt at 1400m.
“My job is more to get the horse into a rhythm and relaxed,” Reith said.
“As everyone knows, he can be a bit of an aggressive kind of horse. I’ve got no doubt he’s fit enough and it’s just a matter of me getting him relaxed and getting him to run the seven furlongs smoothly.
“If he runs they’ll probably go close to a race record on Saturday, I think.”
Reith is chasing his first Group One success.
The All Aged is one of four Group Ones on the final day of the Sydney Carnival with plenty of stars on show including the likes of More Joyous and Americain in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
“The whole carnival has just been filled with some real classy horses,” Reith said.
“It’s great to see the horses that are entered for the last day of the carnival.
“It’s exciting not only for the public but for the people involved in it.”
