Rain Affair, Tiger Tees and See The World are all set to run in the 2014 The Galaxy at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday and trainer Joseph Pride has declared he would be surprised if all three don’t play a role in the finish of the Group 1 event.
Rain Affair will be joined in the 2014 The Galaxy final field by stablemates Tiger Tees and See The World. Photo by: Steve Hart
Rain Affair has failed to fire in two starts this preparation, finishing at the tail of the field in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) and Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m), but the prospect of a wet Rosehill Gardens track has Pride bullish about his chances this weekend.
“I am happy with him; his work this morning was super,” Pride told Racing Ahead this morning.
“To do his very best he needs a wet track and if he gets that on Saturday I am sure that he will run a bold race.”
Tiger Tees started his autumn campaign with a tough win in the Listed Falvelon Quality (1200m) at Eagle Farm on February 22, but beat home just a single runner in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick on March 15.
Pride believes that Tiger Tees was dreadfully unlucky in the Challenge Stakes and is confident that he can return to his best form in The Galaxy this weekend.
“Tiger Tees is extremely well placed,” Pride said.
“His lead-up run the other day was better than it reads on paper; he was luckless caught on the inside of the track and had nowhere to go.
“He goes into the race with a second to none chance.”
Seven-year-old See The World will be making his Group 1 debut after storming home late to finish second behind Territory in the Ibis Milano Handicap (1100m) at Warwick Farm on March 8.
Pride admits that he does not consider See The World a genuine Group 1 level horse, but believes that he can be more than competitive in The Galaxy this weekend.
“He has never raced in a Group 1 race before, but he is going particularly well,” Pride said.
“His first-up run was very impressive and he hit the line really well with a massive weight.
“I think that this is just the right race for him.”
Pride is chasing his first win in The Galaxy, after finishing third with Ladys Angel in 2012 and Red Oog in 2005, and said that he is unsure which of his three sprinters is his best chance of scoring Group 1 victories in back-to-back weekends.
“I find it very hard to split them actually,” Pride said.
“The wetter the track I obviously lean to Rain Affair, but if Tiger Tees draws well he becomes a really good chance.
“I just give a good even chance to the three of them and I would be surprised if they are not in the finish.”
