By Michael Guerin
Bob Vance can be excused for having mixed feelings watching The Galaxy on Monday.
Vance assists his wife Jenny in the training of flying mare What Can I Say, who was nominated for the rich Galaxy at Randwick.
The Vances withdrew the mare last week only to see the Sydney sky darken and turn Randwick into a mudbath - the sort of conditions What Can I Say thrives in.
"We took her out last week when the track looked likely to be firm but as it worked out the Galaxy would have been perfect for her," said Bob Vance.
It might have been hard to watch fellow Kiwi-trained Masked Party race away with the Galaxy gold and the group one success which would have made What Can I Say's broodmare career, but there was a silver lining to the cloud.
Because last night Vance and What Can I Say boarded a plane for another hit-and-run New South Wales mission knowing the mud will still be flying.
What Can I Say will have her first start since September in the $A100,000 Pacesetter Stakes at Gosford tomorrow.
"After seeing how the track was at Randwick on Monday I would expect her to get the sort of footing that suits her on Thursday," said Vance.
The former superstar jockey was struggling to hide his confidence as he scanned the nominations for tomorrow's 1200m sprint.
"Some of the horses nominated went around in the Galaxy so we won't have to worry about them and some of the others were scratched from the Galaxy because of the track, which may not be any better tomorrow."
What Can I Say will have another major plus in her favour, with Shane Dye taking the reins.
Dye rode the Takanini mare to victory in the $45,000 Sapphire Stakes at Randwick last season.
But that was not her biggest Australian success, as she downed champion Might And Power in the Warwick Stakes last August.
Vance says the mare will be a better horse tomorrow than the day she downed the Melbourne Cup-Cox Plate hero.
"She has developed a lot since last season. She is bigger and stronger and we are thrilled with the way she is going into this race," said Vance.
"I think she is dead right. There would be no point going if she wasn't."
What Can I Say will have to carry 58kgs tomorrow but Vance says that is not a concern.
Horse Racing: Mud-loving sprint star on another hit-and-run
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