Racing: Trainer hopes weather will help

Mufhasa. Photo / Supplied

Trainer Rob Heathcote is punting on Melbourne's fickle weather and hopes to back up Woorim for his third start in as many weeks in the group one Toorak Handicap at Caulfield on Saturday.

Woorim will be striving to emulate his sire Show A Heart who won the 1600m feature in 2001.

Woorim scored a stunning first-up win at Moonee Valley last month but had track conditions against him at his past two failures.

The 6-year-old finished with the tailenders after failing to stretch out on a flint-hard surface in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) won by Toorak Toff at Caulfield on September 24.

Heathcote planned to go straight into the Toorak Handicap with Woorim after the Sir Rupert Clarke but plans had to be changed after last season's premier Queensland trainer felt the gelding needed another hitout following his soft Caulfield run.

Woorim backed up six days later in a 1600m Open at Moonee Valley on Friday night but was never comfortable in the slow conditions and finished sixth, 2 lengths from winner Ginga Dude.

"He needs everything his way with tracks," Heathcote said.

"He couldn't stretch out on the hard track at Caulfield then at Moonee Valley the track was too wet. He couldn't get going and hated the ground.

"It was too chopped up for him and it was only when he got to about the 500m and got to the outside that he started to run on.

"That's when he picked up and hit the line strongly."

Heathcote expects a better performance from Woorim if he can get the right track conditions.

"He carried a big weight at Moonee Valley on Friday night and he drops 6kg in the Toorak," Heathcote said.

"If he can get a good track he'll be up to his ears in the finish.

"Damian Browne hasn't lost faith in him and he'll be flying down to ride him again."

Heathcote is hoping weather forecasts will be off the mark in the days preceding the Caulfield meeting.

"Unfortunately, the weather bureau is tipping between 10 and 15 millimetres later this week and I'm just hoping we don't get any more," he said.

Heathcote will also saddle up dual Ipswich Cup winner Our Lukas in Saturday's Open Handicap (1400m).

Our Lukas, who won the 2009 and 2010 Ipswich Cups, finished seventh in the corresponding race at Caulfield last year before going on to claim the Listed Seymour Cup (1600m) in October.

"The key with Our Lukas is to get him out of the barriers and running," Heathcote said.

"He ran well to finish seventh first-up at Doomben last start and if he runs well we'll try to defend his Seymour Cup crown next start."

There will be plenty of New Zealand interest in the Toorak, with topweight on 58kg Mufhasa drawing 12, Wall Street (57kg) drawing eight and former top Matamata mare King's Rose (54.5kg) against the rails.

Mufhasa, to be ridden by Michael Rodd, was second to Jimmy Choux in the Windsor Park Plate at Hastings last month and Wall Street battled into fourth.

Damien Oliver will pilot Wall Street, with Luke Nolen taking the mount on King's Rose, the winner of both starts since joining the Peter Moody stable.

- AAP