Local trainer Joan Pracey is banking on a drying track to help her get back into the winning list at Hawkesbury's final meeting of the year on Sunday.
Pracey has picked out what she believes is an ideal race for King's Tariff - the White Design & Construction C2 Handicap (1100m) - but desperately wants the track to dry out.
Hawkesbury was rated a Heavy 8 on Friday after 101mm of rainfall in the previous week.Pracey has booked Jay Ford to ride the resuming King's Tariff, whose two wins have both been at Sunday's distance.
He won his maiden at Hawkesbury in September last year, and then a C1 at Wyong in April this year.The latter success was on a rain-affected track, but Pracey gained little confidence from the four-year-old's final gallop at Hawkesbury on Thuirsday.
"Jay rode him and said he didn't feel comfortable at all in the ground," Pracey explained."That's why I need the track to dry out. He is definitely better on a firmer surface."
King's Tariff has won first-up previously, and Pracey trialled him at Rosehill on November 25 to get him ready for Sunday's assignment."I was happy with his trial," she said. "The winner (Sweet Serendipity) won easily, but we were just beaten for second.
"King's Tariff is just below city class, but a handy horse nonetheless. This looks a nice race for him if we can get the right conditions."King's Tariff carries the same colors as Pracey's four-time winner Upstacker, who fetched $18,000 at the 2010 Inglis Classic yearling sale.
"We bought King's Tariff at the same sale two years later, thanks to Upstacker," Pracey explained."He won some BOBS bonuses, and we used that rather than take the additional prizemoney to buy three other horses.
"My son picked out King's Tariff, and I also liked the look of him. We got him for $20,000."From only 15 starts - which have also included four placings - King's Tariff has doubled his purchase price.
Isorich (Jason Collett) and Muswellbrook-trained Artlee (Samantha Clenton), who has won his only two starts by a total margin of five lengths and is resuming, loom as threats to King’s Tariff.Gai Waterhouse has four runners at Hawkesbury and all have undeniable chances.
They are Meteor Storm, Mileyva, Sky Clip and Kontiki Dane.Adam Hyeronimus rides Meteor Storm and Sky Clip, whilst Thomas Huet rides Mileyva and Paul King has the mount on Kontiki Dane.
