KEY POINTS:
The Logan/Gibbs stable is hoping it doesn't have to settle for a winless fit horse with comeback veteran El Perez.
In the $20,000 Printing Express at Ellerslie tomorrow, the talented El Perez is having his third start back after a breakdown a year ago.
The four wins from five starts on heavy tracks in his career stats line might be misleading when summing up his chances.
The Ellerslie track was yesterday 5.5 and heavy, but there is almost certainly not going to be any sign of his favourite rain-on-the-day footing.
"We desperately need rain on raceday for him," said a frustrated co-trainer Donna Logan yesterday.
"We might start to run out of options for heavy tracks.
"All we want to know is that he can have a preparation and stay sound.
"The biggest problem we've got is getting him fit - these older horses take so much more when they've had a long break away."
El Perez has had two starts since returning for an 11th in Kenadaad's Opunake Cup and a ninth behind Who Knows on an unsuitable dead surface on his home track at Ruakaka on August 4.
If he even goes close to handling the conditions tomorrow he is a real chance. Chris Johnson has the mount.
The pair to beat are topweight Danz Star, the mount of Opie Bosson, and Material Girl.
Tim Carter produced a good training feat when he won with Danz Star at Te Rapa on July 28 at the horse's first start for nine months.
Carter is never sure for how long he will have Danz Star - the horse races in a Cornell Collar, an apparatus that assists horses that have respiratory restrictions.
"Some days he's better than others. Even when he won at Te Rapa the other day he looked like he was battling with getting his air in the closing stages."
Material Girl rose through the ranks quickly by winning three straight then failed when joint favourite under 58kg on a very heavy track at New Plymouth.
She has been given a month to freshen and should run a much better race.
