KEY POINTS:
Rain at this time of year can devastate major galloping races.
But the main players in tomorrow's $100,000 SkyCity Auckland Avondale Guineas will not be even slightly worried if today's projected bad weather has an adverse affect on the track.
Pinot Grigio and Veloce Bella are well capable of handling rain-affected footing.
In fact, Veloce Bella was unplaced at her sole start on a track that was rated good - although that may not be significant - and has a one-from-one on a dead surface and a win and two placings in the heavy stuff.
Pinot Grigio's one win was on a good track, but he has not finished out of the money in three starts on soft or heavy and was placed once from his two runs on a track rated dead.
The amount of rain today and tonight will answer the question of whether the footing will at all be affected tomorrow.
For the last two weeks we have had somewhat 'off' ratings at Ellerslie midweek only to have perfect racing surfaces for the Saturday.
This time the projections are for moisture a lot closer to race time.
Racing doesn't work on principles of justice, but if there is any at all, tomorrow's Guineas should fall Pinot Grigio's way.
He chased home Jokers Wild for minor placings in the Hawkes Bay and Wellington Guineas and did not have a lot of favours from barrier No 1 in the big one, the $300,000 2000 Guineas at Riccarton last start.
It saw him with little option but to be the first to challenge Jokers Wild at the top of the long Riccarton home straight and he yielded late to finish fifth, three lengths from winner Magic Cape.
Although he looked a victim of circumstance, David Walsh has been replaced by Grant Cooksley, who rode the horse into second in the Wellington Guineas.
Trainer Murray Baker is happy with the way Pinot Grigio has come through a tough race then a long float trip back to Cambridge.
"He seems to have freshened up really well," said Baker.
Although Pinot Grigio performs well on firm surfaces, Baker would like to see footing with just a little yield.
This is a step up in class for Veloce Bella, but she is a filly of real talent as she showed in coming from clear last to score by nearly three lengths with ridiculous ease at Rotorua last start.
Her winning run at Ellerslie the time before was equally stunning.
The impressive part of her efforts is the way she strongly runs the final 200m and the natural distance progression to 1600m here from 1200m and 1400m should be perfect.
The worry with her is a tendency to get back in running.
If Avondale is favouring on-pace horses as it often can, that will make her job significantly more difficult in the closing stages.
Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott have three runners, Takeitall, Bonaichi and Purfect Size and O'Sullivan sees each of them differently.
Takeitall won his last three starts in Brisbane before being transferred to New Zealand.
"We know very little about him," said O'Sullivan.
"He's certainly not a trackworker. He did nothing in his first barrier trial and his second trial was an improved effort.
"About all I can be sure of is that he'll need a firm track."
Purfect Size, the mount of David Walsh, looked very good winning a maiden at Paeroa by 5.25 lengths at only her second start.
"She's the unknown, but she has good ability.
"We ran Charliehorse as a similarly inexperienced horse in this race last year and he beat only a couple home. But by March he was a different horse.
"Perhaps it's come around a bit soon for her, too.
It's a big step up from a midweek Paeroa maiden to this class, but we like her."
O'Sullivan tries to close his eyes when he walks past Bonaichi's box.
"It's just so hard to enthuse about her because she's so tiny.
"If I said to someone who looked over her box that she was a Guineas chance, they'd laugh.
"But she's been racing well and she's fit for this."
