The demolition job Rain Affair did on rivals when fresh in the Missile Stakes may well be repeated in Saturday’s Warwick Stakes at Warwick Farm.
“Every preparation his first-up is never his best, he just keeps improving with racing,” Rain Affair’s meticulous trainer Joe Pride said on Friday morning.
“It is scary, I need him to do what he has done every other preparation.”
Little wonder Pride is “looking forward” to the home track meeting which ushers in the spring carnival.
“It is always good taking your best horse to the races,” Pride said.
Regarded as Sydney’s fastest racehorse Rain Affair’s form tapered off two preparations back due to “a double knee operation”.
While the sprinter may not have won last time in work Pride pointed “he competed in group 1 races” and don’t think the Warwick Stakes 1400m is a worry.
“He loves it, he has run his best races at the distance,” Pride said.
“Won an Apollo Stakes, ran second to All Too Hard and Atlantic Jewel over the distance.
“It is a lovely trip for him, finds himself controlling the race from the front, that’s when he is most comfortable.”
Rival trainer, Sydney record breaker, Chris Waller, will start his group 1 winners Metal Bender, Foreteller and Hawkspur in the Warwick Stakes along with Beaten Up, Kelinni and last start winner Moriarty.
Throw in fellow Warwick Farm trainer Guy Walter’s group 1 winner Streama and untapped stablemate Toydini and Pride knows it will be a stern test but not a disheartening one.
“Chris has got plenty of ammo, it is a quality race,” Pride said.
“Punters will find future race winners in both Sydney and Melbourne will come out of this race but I wouldn’t expect many to be at their best at this point of their preparations.
“My horse has a head start on them.”
Accompanying Rain Affair to Warwick Farm will be stablemates Unimpeachable and Title while last start winner See The World is in doubt for the Show County Quality.
“There is a chance See The World won’t go to the races,” Pride said.
“I’ll have a chat to Peter Horwitz [owner] this afternoon, the horse has drawn awkward and a firm track may be too big a hurdle to overcome.
“Title will go round in the race. He is probably out graded but it is nice to see him down on 54kg although he is only getting 0.5kg off a promising horse like Rebel Dane, it is a path-way race for him.”
As for Unimpeachable Pride said “she seems to be going well and will improve off the run” while he added “I want to see her hitting the line”.
By Craig Young
