KEY POINTS:
Trainer Graham Richardson enjoyed seeing a little mud in the post holes he was digging on his Matamata property yesterday.
More of the same wet weather before 12.50pm at nearby Te Aroha today should be all his smart filly, Bloody Mary, needs for fresh-up success against R70 rivals.
The Shinko King filly looked capable of picking up 3-year-old black type in her last campaign before shin soreness sidelined her.
She embarrassed the highly-rated Do Me A Favour by more than four lengths on a heavy Matamata track on debut last August, also over 1100m.
Things didn't quite go as planned next-up behind Chartreuse and her listed foes at Hastings, or again on a good Avondale surface chasing the slick Brianna in smart 3-year-old company again.
But the filly proved to Richardson and training partner Jason Bridgman that she'd thrived on a summer break with an impressive trials win at Cambridge over 1000m last month.
"She won nicely on ground that didn't suit," said Richardson.
"She should get ground that does suit her now and she's definitely forward enough to win. She's a nice filly."
Her 15 gate doesn't help but, given the dog-leg course for Te Aroha sprints, Richardson rightly points out that Bloody Mary only needs to get around one bend.
Mae Ling should be toughest for Bloody Mary to beat.
She also has wet-track form, a 3kg allowance and wasn't far off Keep The Message in last season's Ryder Stakes.
Richardson only saddles two other horses today, but both are winning hopes.
Promising staying-type Santaurian will relish the step up to 1600m in race six.
The trainer was rapt with her last start fifth over 1400m at Rotorua.
She's improved with the run - her first for four months - and Richardson is confident she'll handle the slow conditions today.
"She's a late maturing type but I think she'll be hard to beat."
On paper at least, stablemate Katherina looks an even stronger chance in the day's feature, the Annie Matijasevich Memorial over 2200m.
Richardson had her pegged as a sprinter earlier on, but she showed her future is definitely over ground with a winning middle-distance debut at Pukekohe on March 21.
That effort came after more than a month in the wings, having failed miserably over 1400m at Wairoa in February.
"I had her nominated for 1400m events on both days at Wairoa but knew after she ran on from last on the first day she should have been in the middle-distance instead," admits Richardson.
Richardson says Katherina's work since her last-start third to Game Call at Avondale has been first class and the 4-year-old won't mind rain.
She quit maidens this time last year on a 5.8 Avondale.