By MIKE DILLON
You almost wouldn't want it to happen.
If you owned Spring Rain, you would not be normal if you did not have mixed feelings if she breezes past the Ellerslie winning post first in Saturday's $120,000 Ford Dealer Sires' Produce Stakes.
The $75,000 winner's cheque would be very nice, thank you, but not as life-changing as the $1million bonus the filly would have picked up if she had not been tripped up by a dodgy track in the Awapuni version of the Sires.
But then that's racing.
Races like these are never easy, but the tantalising feature is that Spring Rain looks a huge chance to win this one, on which the million would have swung.
Once again track conditions will be crucial, but ARC racing manager Andrew O'Toole said yesterday the fine weather in Auckland would mean conditions vastly improved on the soft footing of the first two days of the meeting.
"The track is between 2.8 and 2.9 and easy at the moment and if the forecast is right that there will be no rain, and it certainly looks that way, we are predicting a track between 2.4 and 2.5 on Saturday," said O'Toole yesterday.
While the conditions for the Manawatu Sires were officially firm, it was clear many horses on the day were struggling to extend a sprint off the surface and much of that form can be disregarded.
Trainer Roger James, in Sydney for the yearling sales and to prepare Spottswoode for Saturday's AJC Oaks, is delighted with the way Spring Rain has come through her Manawatu race.
Trinity College could do with some luck. She was caught wide at New Plymouth two starts ago and did enough wrong to get herself beaten when only a short head behind Little Jamie in the big Manawatu race.
She has to overcome making her first trip right-handed, but has plenty of natural ability.
Alberton Star is another whose Manawatu form can be ignored. She is classy and tough and while a wide barrier will not help her chances this time, that is a disadvantage she has overcome before.
The value is Winged Foot. He was beaten favourite at Hastings last start, but was hampered in the closing stages before running on strongly in the last 50m.
He looks a staying type and the tougher test of 1400m at Ellerslie will suit him better.
Racing: Spring Rain looks good
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