Racing: Dry track welcome

Jakki Good can't believe the autumn weather.

She says her underrated galloper Mr Robert was spelling at this time last season because of wet tracks.

With most northern racetracks remaining in great shape, Mr Robert looms as a real winning chance in the $20,000 Herald On Sunday 1400m at the Auckland Racing Club's transferred meeting at Te Rapa.

Mr Robert is already a winner and placegetter at Te Rapa and Good says the gelding is much fitter for this race than he was when third at Ellerslie last start when he had not raced for eight weeks.

"He'd had a real big freshen-up and he came to the end of it in the last 100m at Ellerslie when he finished third to Mr Multiwin. He's improved out of sight."

Although he has to give Mr Robert a fair weight concession, Travellin' Man will prove difficult to contain.

Overall he has been racing several grades higher than this and last start finished a wonderful fifth in Calveen's Easter Handicap. He has hardly been out of the money this campaign.

Hawera visitor Delbrae looked a rapid improver when third coming back from a break at Trentham last start.