KEY POINTS:
Connections of New Zealand's two representatives in the Nakayama Grand Jump in Japan today hope the weather forecasters have got it right.
Real Tonic and No Hero fly the flag for New Zealand in the 170.4 million yen ($2 million) event at Nakayama, the world's richest jumps race, and their connections have their fingers crossed for rain.
Brett Crozier, trackwork rider of the John Wheeler-trained Real Tonic, told the Japan Racing Association's website after exercising the horse on Thursday: "His condition is good. I'm hoping for another shower before the race.
"The forecast says it's going to rain on race day, which is also good."
Hawke's Bay trainer Paul Nelson made similar comments after his horse No Hero was able to work on some undulating parts of the Nakayama track.
"At home we don't train on tracks like here. We train on a farm where there are hills, so the dips we've done are good for him," said Nelson.
"He's much brighter. I'm happy to see that he's regained his weight. He weighs (466kg), about the same as he did when he ran the Pegasus.
"He's a laidback horse so I'm not worried about him. I just hope it showers every night which will be good for the turf on the steeplechase course."
Real Tonic and No Hero were last and second-last of the 13 finishers in the Grand Jump lead-up race, the Pegasus Jump Stakes (3350m) at Nakayama on March 24, when track conditions were firm.
- NZPA
