KEY POINTS:
Quite a few of the trainers with leading chances at Matamata tomorrow are hoping for fine weather.
It can't rain enough for Ruakaka trainer Donna Logan.
Logan wants loose ground for El Perez in the $30,000 Waharoa Industrial Park Handicap and she is looking for today's predicted rain to loosen the track.
Showers tomorrow would be a bonus.
El Perez has not raced since straining a suspensory when he finished last behind Miles at Hawera back in October.
There was no suggestion of leg problems leading into that race, and none since.
El Perez is a high-quality winter galloper whose record of five wins and a placing from seven starts on heavy tracks is stunning.
He showed he was ready to resume and cope with the 1600m here when he ran out the last part of his 1400m barrier trial win at Avondale recently very strongly.
"He's bounced out of that trial really well," said Logan yesterday. "His work has been terrific."
Vinny Colgan will have his first raceday ride on El Perez tomorrow.
One of his toughest opponents is likely to be genuine local mare Kirra Sand.
Her form on paper looks ordinary, but each of those starts has been in stakes or listed races and she drops back to handicap class.
She is also dropping back from 2000m to 1600m, but trainer Lance Noble feels the likelihood of a testing track will help to offset that.
"The track is slow at the moment and if we get the rain that's predicted it will go to heavy, which will make it a test for them."
Noble was not disappointed with Kirra Sand's seventh placing behind Katy Keen in the Gasmate Stakes at Te Rapa last start.
"She got home nicely and I've been very happy with her since that race," he said.
"It will be a plus dropping back to an open race."
Local mare Vercors is another whose form on paper does not look up to much, but it might be a mistake to judge her solely on that.
She was only four lengths from Katy Keen in the Gasmate after having to travel wide when lodging a claim at the 500m.
At her previous start she was making good ground on the leaders to be only 2.5 lengths away from Pasta Post in the Easter Handicap at Ellerslie, which is great form for a race like this.
With only half a kilo over the minimum, Vercors could be a dangerous lightweight.
Korau Road beat only two home after starting favourite at Tauranga last start, but has previously bounced back quickly.
Five of his seven wins have been at this 1600m distance and he has twice been placed on slow tracks.
Local galloper and clear top-weight Desert Flight is much better known as a stayer, but his metric mile form is interesting.
The last time he tried the distance - in January this year - he finished third, a few lengths off The Silence Sir and High Octane.
His previous 1600m was in November 2006 when he finished a close second to Luckshan at Ellerslie.
The state of the track might be a bigger hurdle - he has placed only once in five starts on rain-affected footing.
IMPRESSIVE TRIAL WINNER
* El Perez makes his first appearance since breaking down last October.
* The talented mudder showed he was ready to resume racing with an easy barrier trial victory at Avondale.
* Vinny Colgan rides El Perez for the first time.
* Local mare Kirra Sand is dropping back from stakes races to handicap class.
