KEY POINTS:
John Wheeler has no choice but to run class filly Juice in tomorrow's $100,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Wellington Guineas at Trentham.
The heavy track is far from ideal, but Juice needs the run if she's to be at her best for the big Guineas assignments at Riccarton.
"No, I have to run," said a committed Wheeler at Hawera races yesterday.
The Trentham track was yesterday a heavy 10 and there was a suggestion of further rain.
"She's won on a slow track," said Wheeler.
"I don't know how she'll manage the track, but she'll give and I'm not worried about it."
The slow track Wheeler referred to was on the first day of the Hastings carnival and Juice ran the 1200m that day in 1.12.28, on footing a lot different from what she will encounter tomorrow.
But unless she is completely useless in the conditions, Juice is still a chance to pull her connections and punters through.
She is tough and she tries hard, the type you need when tracks are heavy.
Wheeler will have a difficult decision to make when he gets to Riccarton - whether to restrict Juice to the $325,000 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas or whether to back up the following week in the $1 million First Sovereign 2000 Guineas against the males.
"I'll definitely be taking one race at a time."
The Murray and Bjorn Baker stable has options with Fully Fledged. If they seek to bypass the rain-affected track at Trentham, they can run in Monday's $65,000 James and Annie Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa.
Class counts in any conditions and All In Brawl is the big improver.
He has needed his two runs back so far this campaign, making ground nicely into sixth in the 1400m Hawkes Bay Guineas last start.
The 1500m on a big, roomy track like Trentham is just what he needs and he has only to manage the conditions to be a big threat.
