Twelve months ago, Touristic captured the Lord Mayors Cup on a wet track from a low draw, and he will get an almost identical set-up for his attempt to go back-to-back at Rosehill this weekend.
Successful from barrier five on a heavy 8 surface last year, the gelding has gate three on Saturday and will strike conditions expected to be at least as rain-affected.
He rises just a half-kilo in the handicaps and will again be ridden by regular jockey Andrew Adkins in what trainer Peter Snowden hopes can be a case of rinse and repeat.
“That sounds good to me, and he’s going well too. He’s a good chance on Saturday,” Snowden said.
“He has been up for a while and he’s had a few runs, but he still continues to look well, work well and race well. His Gosford Cup run was excellent.
“It is a good race though. The top weight (Tavi Time) goes quite well, and there is depth in the race, but he’s going well and there’s no doubt the wet track will definitely help him.”
A Canberra Cup (2000m) winner in March, Touristic hasn’t been beaten far in three subsequent appearances, the latest when third to Asterix in the Gosford Cup (2100m).
That was on a good track, and his record indicates he’s significantly more effective in the wet having raced 21 times on soft and heavy conditions for five victories and seven placings, while he has just one win from 27 starts on firm going.
Stablemate Applaud also appreciates the sting out of the ground and Snowden expects him to make his presence felt when he resumes in the Denham Carter Handicap (1200m).
The three-kilo claim of apprentice Mitch Stapleford will reduce his impost to 54kg, and Snowden says that could prove key.
“He’s had two trials, he is quite forward, and Mitch’s three kilos claim will be crucial,” Snowden said.
“It’s the last race of the day, it will be a bog, so every pound will help.
“He normally does race very well fresh, so fingers crossed.”
Applaud strung together three victories on rain-affected ground last winter and has been given a break since finishing midfield to Gatsby’s at Randwick in January.
Snowden has purposely targeted him towards races at this time of year when the tracks generally struggle to dry out.
“We tipped him out for that reason, to get wet tracks,” he said.
“The tracks were getting firm last time in, and he started to taper off a little bit. A good break, back in the winter time, and that should be his time.”
Snowden also has Raskol and the resuming Infusion heading to Rosehill and regards both as chances, although he’s cautioned the latter is a robust mare who will strip fitter for the run.
