Even Terravista's usually bullish trainer Joe Pride is approaching the race with a measure of respect for the horse's arch rivals.
"It's going to be a ripper of a race," Pride said.
"You can only be so confident going into a group one but I'm rapt with my horse. We're on our home turf now and he loves the sting out of the track.
"If he can run up to what he did in the spring he's going to be very hard to beat."
Chautauqua has finished second at his two starts in group one company and jockey Tommy Berry believes it is a matter of time before he wins one.
Lankan Rupee is formidable at his best but there is a query over him after he tore a muscle in his chest during the Newmarket.
It's a complaint which appears to have healed, although trainer Mick Price says they won't know that for certain until Lankan Rupee is put under race pressure.
If there is to be an upset, Pride thinks it could come from Terravista's older half-brother Tiger Tees.
The group one winner didn't stretch out on a firm track first-up and will relish the rain-affected ground at Randwick.
But it is Tiger Tee's desire to be top dog at home which Pride says could push him to produce a career-best performance.
"He likes to knock off his stablemates. He's claimed Rain Affair a few times and he seems to take particular enjoyment in it," he said.
"I reckon he has almost never been beaten by another Pride runner so it will be interesting to see if he can uphold that."
Ready For Victory cost himself any chance in the Golden Slipper at Rosehill last month when he veered towards the outside fence in the final 200m.
The talented colt gets another group one chance in the Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) today and trainer Mick Price has tinkered with his gear to try to ensure there are no excuses.
Ready For Victory finished less than two lengths behind the winner Vancouver in the A$3.5 million Slipper.
"He was beaten 1.8 lengths but you just want every chance in the race," Price said.
"If he had have tracked up true and been beaten half a length, which I think might have been the case, at least you can accept it because you've had every chance.
"But it's a bit difficult to win any race when they are going sideways.
"It was a colossal ask to win two weeks after his debut, having to travel to Sydney [from Melbourne]. So I think the horse did a fantastic job."
Ready For Victory has had more time in Sydney since the Slipper and the benefit of racing clockwise, and Price has opted for a lugging bit today.
"I think he's in good condition," Price said.
Ready For Victory has shown his talent with a stakes win on debut at Flemington and then his Slipper performance at his second start.
The son of More Than Ready shares the second line of betting with Golden Slipper runner-up English at $4.60.
Blue Diamond Stakes winner Pride Of Dubai is favourite to win his second group one.
"It will be a tough race," Price said.
"There's no pressure like race pressure. As much as I've been happy with his work, he's still got to get in amongst them and do everything right."
Meanwhile, Mick Kent is not convinced promising staying mare Scratchy Bottom has had the ideal preparation for the Chairman's Hcp today.
But the wet track has boosted the trainer's confidence the mare can win the group two race.
Scratchy Bottom's task was made easier on Thursday with the withdrawal of Rising Romance who was showing signs of a virus.
Scratchy Bottom defeated Rising Romance at her last start in the Epona Stakes at Rosehill on March 21, a fortnight after failing to beat a runner home in the Frances Tressady Stakes at Flemington.
"It's a bit of an ask for her going from seven [furlongs] to 1900 and then 2600m," Kent said.
"She's only had the one run beyond the mile and a quarter previously and that was in Adelaide in the Derby last year when she got beaten a nose.
"She's done very well. I'm very pleased with her and I'm happy to be there."
Scratchy Bottom's South Australian Derby second, when beaten by Kushadasi over 2500m, was also her only start on a wet track.
Kent takes a lot of heart from that effort although conceding the form from the race has not been strong.
However the daughter of Sebring has also shown a liking for soft ground on the training track.
- AAP
