Winter is the time for smart sprinter Great Again to strike and trainer Lindsey Smith is looking forward to more rain in Victoria in the coming days and weeks.
Great Again is down to run in the Catanach’s Jewellers Handicap (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday with Smith hoping for a track that has significant cushion in it.
The eight-year-old son of Viscount is rated a $9 chance for Saturday’s race in latest TAB markets which sees Bless Her, having her first start for the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young stable, the $4.20 favourite.
Smith says Great Again is progressing well for Saturday’s assignment and the more rain that falls on the Caulfield track will be of benefit for the sprinter.
Great Again is a superior wet-track performer with seven of his 10 wins from his 27 starts having come on rain-affected ground.
And he had excellent form last campaign, despite registering only one win from five starts.
That came first-up in the Straight Six at Flemington on heavy ground, before Great Again went on to run placings in the Listed All Victorian Sprint Final, the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes and the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap, two of which were on soft ground.
“He’s certainly looking for a bit of a soft track,” Smith said.
“We can only get a few runs into him each campaign, but he excels on the wet tracks and he’s ready to run a bold race, as he always does.”
Great Again returned from his summer break finishing fourth to Inn Keeper in the Listed Wangoom Handicap (1200m) during the Warrnambool carnival.
“He just ran out of steam a bit first-up,” Smith said.
“It’s just about judging it right for him and getting the right conditions.”
