KEY POINTS:
Most of the leading chances in tomorrow's $30,000 Mondiale Freight York Cup at Avondale won't mind the easing of the track conditions.
Figure Of Speech, Jovial Jock and Twinkling are well at home in such conditions and even Mirkola Lass can produce something like her best when a
bit of rain is around.
Which makes this race a little tricky.
Figure Of Speech was in outstanding open handicap form through the winter, evidenced by his rise in the handicap to topweight of 58kg.
That might become an issue here with the likes of Jovial Jock and Twinkling on 54kg.
Figure Of Speech finished a little more than six lengths from winner Spin Around in the Counties Cup, but that was a fair effort because he covered a reasonable amount of extra ground. Overall that field was better than this and on the same weight he has to be given some chance.
Avondale can be a good on-pace track and if conditions firmed back up to be just dead that might apply here.
If it does, Jovial Jock could lead this field and prove difficult to pull back.
He sat back off the speed when he won over 2500m at Riccarton last start, but is just as good, if not better, when in front.
Twinkling should be a lot fitter for her two recent runs, which followed a break.
They were at 1400m and 1600m and she will greatly appreciate the step up to 2000m.
The Cambridge mare is right up to this level and is probably the value runner.
Mirkola Lass, like many in the race, found chasing The Cosmob too sharp over 1600m at Ellerslie last start, but there was a lot to like about the way she powered home in the closing stages to be fourth, just a bit more than one length from the winner.
Here is another who will love the step up in distance.
Enigma horse Ntamack is also not out of it.
He slipped early when last in the Counties Cup, so perhaps there was an excuse for him.
Last night's TAB odds for tomorrow's features:
York Cup: $3.60 Figure Of Speech; $3.80 Mirkola Lass; $5.50 Twinkling, Jovial Jock; $10 Ntamack, Break The Barrier; $21 Pulborough, Spit 'N' Polish, Vivaldi's Gone, Mohican Brave; $26 Tadan.
Avondale Guineas: $3.20 Alamosa; $6 Mission Critical; $6.50 Run Roxy Run, Beauty Express, Six O'Clock News; $12 Top Echelon, Prince Kaapstad; $13 Mallinson Road; $15 Courier Mail; $26 Little Luke.
* Trackside Television will cover live all races from the massive Hong Kong International meeting on Sunday.
The programme features four group one events with huge interest in Australia's international champion sprinter Miss Andretti taking on defending local champ Absolute Champion.
It will be the first time New Zealand punters will bet at this meeting through the commingled SuperTAB pool.
The coverage begins at 5.25pm and the live links will be managed by Trackside presenter George Simon.