KEY POINTS:
Local trainer Tim Ryan watched the rain fall on the Tauranga racecourse late yesterday morning and almost hoped it would keep going.
Not because his class mare Dutyful - joint topweight for the $60,000 Winning Edge Final - is an absolute mudder, but because Ryan does not want to see a sticky, puggy track eventuate.
Dutyful has had only 12 raceday starts, three of them on a slow surface, for a win and two placings.
"I believe her preference is for rain on the day," said Ryan.
Dutyful faces a tough task with 58kg against a very talented line-up of emerging horses, but she has shown that she has top-class potential.
Ryan warns not to take too much notice of her last-start defeat by Ginga Dude in the Japan/NZ Trophy at Tauranga on March 22.
"I've had quite a bit of tie-up and seasonal problems with her, but those are ironed out now," he said.
"The last time at Tauranga, she got herself very stirred up before the race and she was worked up behind the gates when there was a delay while they checked Sir Slick's injured ear.
"I noticed a few other mares in that race becoming stirred up and they raced accordingly."
Ryan says Dutyful has been much more settled around the stables and in her work since that last race.
With her weight Dutyful will need to be on her game because there are half a dozen or more opponents approaching their best form and the race is likely to be extremely competitive.
Sharing topweight of 58kg with her is Taking The Mickey, who has been in remarkably consistent form in strong fields since summer.
He finished powerfully last start to grab second placing behind the talented Jowka on that tricky day at Awapuni when the Sires Produce programme was affected by the unseasonal damp track.
Lightly raced Stone Garden is certain to appreciate the track conditions.
After only one previous start after a lengthy spell, Stone Garden was noticed finishing strongly into a close sixth behind Cape Fear at Te Aroha last time out.
Impressive last-start winner Benedict, Cape Fear and Mill Vinnie add a lot of strength to this race.
The future programmes of some of the runners make the $30,000 Gartshore Group 1600m an interesting race.
The Sportsman, Tedriffic and Valpolicella are all heading to Brisbane and topweight Spin Around is campaigning in Hong Kong and Singapore. In a difficult race to assess, previous Tauranga winners Korau Road and Who Knows look to have strong chances. Who Knows has won three of his only eight New Zealand starts and handles wet ground.