Racing: Rain just what was ordered

Don Dwyer had intended spelling Lazaros after his fifth to Viz Vitae on an unsuitable firm track at Ellerslie two weeks ago.

Then he read Ken Ring's moon-related weather forecast book and changed his mind.

Ring correctly predicted that the second half of September would be wet in Auckland.

"I kept him going and we have got the track we were looking for," a delighted Dwyer said yesterday.

The Ellerslie track was yesterday rated slow and Dwyer is surprised it is not worse.

"Clearly Ellerslie hasn't had the rain that we've had here at Pukekohe. It's come down in buckets here."

It's usually a case of the wetter the better for Lazaros, but he will still be competitive on a slow surface.

He will certainly be much more comfortable than he was on the firm track two weeks ago.

Lazaros' form on winter tracks has been good enough to earn him favouritism for the Oxy-Shot Stayers 2100m.

This is a very mixed field. Expectalite has been racing a shade below what he can produce, but this field provides him with an opportunity to do something better.

Scarlet Rose did extremely well to come from the back and finish second to Northern Beau against a fierce on-pace bias at Tauranga last start.

Because of the conditions of this race Scarlet Rose comes in on 58kg, a tough weight for a mare.

Mandana looked better finishing third to Mr Hefner at Paeroa last week and should appreciate the step from 1670m to 2100m.