The eagerly awaited clash between Cellarmaster and Jimmy Choux in this Saturday's Wanganui Guineas may not happen unless the weather settles.
Trainer Kevin Gray is loath to start Cellarmaster, arguably the best juvenile of last season, on a heavy track.
"He's only 75 per cent fit and I wouldn't want
to have to drag him through a bog," the Awapuni horseman said yesterday.
"There's plenty more good racing to come in the spring and summer. We've still got time but the track will have to improve."
The long-range forecast indicates fine weather for Thursday, with rain returning on Friday.
After three days of heavy downpours, the track was bordering on heavy (11) yesterday. A pentrometer reading will be taken today.
Cellarmaster's clashes with Jimmy Choux and Banchee were a highlight of last season.
Cellarmaster probably took overall honours by a nose after winning the Grange and Eclipse Stakes before finishing second in the Diamond Stakes (won by Banchee) and Manawatu Sires Produce (won by Nacho Man).
Gray is counting on his colt, who won $176,000 last season, taking the best juvenile award at the national racing awards on Friday night.
If Cellarmaster does start on Saturday he will need to be on his game. By all accounts Hastings galloper Jimmy Choux has been working and trialling brilliantly and has winning form in heavy going.
Whether Cellarmaster starts or not, Gray will be represented on Saturday with a much-improved Porotene Bella and Special Belt and 3-year-old fillies Princess Katie, who will need decent footing to make her debut, and Aussie-bred Reve De Victoire, who had one run for a placing last season.
Meanwhile, top jockey Opie Bosson will miss Saturday's meeting after incurring a suspension at Hastings on Saturday.
- APN
