Cambridge trainer Trevor Cruz is hardly daring to think that fitness, weather and the right races could all align for his three runners today.
Cruz has been one of many trainers frustrated by a wet late summer and autumn and without trying to goad Mother Nature, he is aiming to capitalise on the current dead track conditions at Te Rapa and Hastings.
"My team has been out of sync with the weather. The two cyclones passing through have changed things a bit and I've had horses ready to go on a good track, but they just haven't been around," Cruz said.
Cruz and his brother Martin will produce Elusive Meteor in the Cambridge Breeders' Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa and Packing Tycoon and Heart Beat at Hastings.
Northern Meteor filly Elusive Meteor has yet to finish worse than fourth in four starts and lowered the colours of Andado, who has won three consecutive races since, to clinch her maiden win.