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KEY POINTS:
Normally they would be praying for a soft track, but the connections of Europe's Melbourne Cup runners spent yesterday watching their chances in tomorrow's race being washed away.
Unlike most of their predecessors who have called for tracks to be watered as soon as they got off the plane, this year's contingent all prefer hard racing ground.
The chances of them getting it seem remote after Melbourne's heaviest rainfall for the year had the Flemington track rated slow this morning - and getting slower by the hour.
Purple Moon, Mahler and Tungsten Strike all have a strong preference for dry tracks and rate their prospects less highly in the wet.
Mahler, who tightened to $10 after a perfect barrier draw, has at least won on a rain-affected track.
However, trainer Aidan O'Brien said he was far better on top of the ground.
"He's a good moving horse that's more effective on a dry track. We were quite worried before he ran on a soft track at Ascot [in England] this year, but he won anyway.
"I'd still be happier, though, if the track was okay," O'Brien said.
The Ascot win was the highlight of Mahler's brief career.
A 3-year-old by Northern Hemisphere breeding time, he has raced only six times, the Ascot victory over 3200m coming at his second last start in a Group Three race for his own age.
He followed that with a second in the English St Leger (2900m) after leading and then losing his place when he stumbled 200m out.
Luca Cumani, the trainer of Purple Moon, a $10 chance, also wants a dry track and was being as positive as he could be.
"We would much rather have a firm track, but as long as it's not deep, I think we're okay," he said.
The difficulty with Flemington, however, is that no one knows how much rain it can take.
Only three race meetings have been conducted on the newly renovated course which by midday yesterday had received 20mm of rain.
Of the three internationals, the one who will least appreciate the rain is Tungsten Strike.
His preference is for "rattling" hard ground, which he seemed certain to get until storms swept into Melbourne on Saturday night.
Assistant trainer Mark Perrett described his horse as being in perfect order after a canter at Sandown yesterday.
Tungsten Strike drew barrier two, which may be less than ideal despite a plan to lead on the horse.
Jockey Darryll Holland said Tungsten Strike's last-start win over 2800m at Goodwood in August had convinced him to recommend a trip to Melbourne.
In that race, the gelding opened up a big lead and maintained it to the line scoring by six lengths with 62.5kg on his back.
- AAP
