Caulfield Cup winner Southern Speed is heading for a rematch with Manighar on a rain affected Rosehill surface on Saturday with no wet track form to call on.
Southern Speed has drawn barrier three in the Group 1 $400,000 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) with the Australian Cup winner jumping from barrier four on in a field of fourteen.
Rosehill has been rated a heavy 8 for Saturday and the prospect of some drying weather before the weekend could play into trainer Leon Macdonald’s favour.
Southern Speed has yet to race on anything worst than dead with a win and a second from six starts but Macdonald is not too concerned about a wet track.
“She has had two trials on bogs and won by the length of the straight both times,” Macdonald said.
“Admittedly they were against inferior opposition but the way she did tells me it won’t matter.
“She arrived in Sydney on Saturday fit and well.”
The Peter Moody trained Manighar has fair wet track form with one win and a third on the slow and a third from two goes on the heavy.
Jockey Blake Shinn has taken over from Singapore’s leading rider Joao Moreira on Trusting and even though he hasn’t ridden the five year old in a race, he has had a feel of him in two recent barrier trials as well as several gallops on the track.
“Trusting has been set for the Ranvet,” Shinn said.
“He’s come to hand fantastic and his work has been solid all week. I couldn’t be happier with him.”
Trusting is nearing peak fitness with two runs from a break, the latest when third to Shoot Out in the Group 1 $350,000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Warwick Farm on March 10 on a track rated a slow 6.
The John Thompson trained five year old is chasing his first Group 1 to add to his three Group 2 victories but has shown his liking for Rosehill with a win in last year’s Group 2 $200,000 Hill Stakes over 2000m.
But Trusting is no stranger to the pressure of Group 1s with three seconds at that level and Shinn is confident going in Saturday’s race.
“It’s a tough race but he’s a Group One performer and looks a leading chance in that race,” Shinn said.
Shinn should be able to give Trusting the run of the race from barrier two while the Chris Waller pair of Rangirangdoo and Shoot Out had drawn barriers seven and eight.
