Bill Borrie has been keen to run comeback mare Miss Potential on the best possible track between Foxton and Ellerslie today.
The decision was taken out of his hands when the Desert Road was declared 50-50 last night.
The Australian group one-winning Miss Potential is hardly a Queen's Birthday Ellerslie
type of horse, but in thoroughbreds class is class and how can you deny her with only 57kg on her back in a New Zealand handicap.
What can deny her is one as smart as Allan Sharrock's Dont Ya Lovett, carrying only 52kg with talented apprentice Vanessa Johnston in the saddle.
The potential star of this winter's flat scene impressed when third in his first-up race at Trentham.
Miss Potential will have the benefit of Paul Jenkins apprentice Salemon Saad's 4kg claim, dramatically reducing her 61kg handicap.
But the 5kg drop to Dont Ya Lovett might still be too much to overcome.
"We galloped her at Paeroa on Tuesday morning and we judged her fit enough to be competitive," said Borrie of Miss Potential last night.
Sharrock's other runner Go Thenaki is also worth consideration.
Meanwhile, the Moroney stable goes into the $35,000 Cornwall Handicap worried about heavy track conditions for Cut The Cake.
The Derby winner came back to winning form under 57kg at Avondale last week, but this is a much more difficult field.
Tantalic and Millnorm look to have been set for this race and despite their position at the top of the handicap, will take beating.
