Having recently been caught out by a quick drying track, trainer Wayne Carroll is loathe to make an early call on where Lycra Lass will run this weekend.
The talented mare has been accepted for both the Canterbury BMW-Driving Strong Relationships Handicap (1550m) in Sydney on Saturday and a 1200m race at Canberra a day later.
Carroll, who trains a dozen horses at Wagga in the state’s south, said he would make a final decision on Saturday morning.
“In the spring and summer the tracks can dry out very quickly,” he said.
“I got caught the other week. The track was a heavy ten a couple of days before the race and I told the owners of one of my horses we’d scratch him because he didn’t handle wet tracks.
“Two days later it was a good three.”
Carroll said the Canterbury race was his preferred option and while Lycra Lass handled rain-affected ground he was wary of running if the track remained in its current heavy range.
“Being second-up it does concern me,” Carroll said.
“If it’s slow that would be okay to go to town but if it’s a heavy nine or ten that’s pretty bottomless.
“I don’t want to tax her too much because we’ve got some other runs in mind.”
Lycra Lass has been a bonny mare for Carroll and won the Queen Of The South on her home track during the Wagga Cup carnival earlier this year.
She claimed her first city victory over 1550m at Canterbury in June and in her only run since was a first-up fourth to My Destiny over 1300m at Rosehill on November 12.
“She loomed up and just got tired the last 100 or 150 metres,” Carroll said.
“She ran very well. I was really happy with the run and she’s trained on very well since.”
Lycra Lass will meet a handy field at Canterbury headed by last start winner Oakfield Beauty and the Group placed Savannah’s Choice.
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