Racing: Weather heavy on trainer's mind

Jim Gibbs is looking at the weather and Davina Waddell is arguing with her own conscience.

The result of both will decide the texture of the field for the main races at Matamata tomorrow and specifically, the $40,000 Wealleans Matamata Cup.

Gibbs wants to warn fixed-odds punters that he will start his high class stayer Kerry O'Reilly only if the track is no worse than a rating of 2.8.

"The rating was 3.6 and slow this morning, but we've had a beautiful day in Matamata and I'd guess that the track could be back as far as 2.9.

"But, we've had a forecast for a few showers Friday night and on Saturday and if that happened the track could get back to slow.

"If that was the case Kerry O'Reilly won't run.

"If we got no rain we'd have a beautiful track and even though he's a stayer he'd have a cheeky chance at the 1600m."

Kerry O'Reilly will run in a 94-rating race at Ellerslie next week if he does not kick off his season tomorrow.

Davina Waddell originally had no intention of running class act All's Well in the Matamata Cup. She preferred the 1400m race at Avondale midweek.

Now she's leaning slightly more towards Matamata.

"The 1600m of the Matamata Cup is the only concern. He's definitely ready for the 1400m at Avondale, but he spelled better than he's ever spelled and he's a little behind where he needs to be for 1400m."

Despite all that, All's Well has had three starts fresh from a spell for two wins and a placing.

"It's the last 200m that I'd be worried about."

When Waddell told regular rider Kate Hercock she probably would not be running All's Well at Matamata Hercock took the ride on Harbour Magic. She has engaged Nathan Hanley, who rides predominantly over jumps, but has clocked up a handful of flat winners in the last 12 months.

"He's an easy horse to ride, Nathan is a good judge of pace and the horse will carry very little dead weight."

Waddell said she will make up her mind this afternoon.

As a back-up she has Shinko Prince, who created a big impression in coming from last in the group one Stoney Bridge Stakes to finish a little more than five lengths from Miss Potential carrying 58.5kg at weight-for-age. He is much better placed here with 52.5kg.

"I'm really happy with him, he's come through that trip beautifully.

If the track was rain-affected, New Plymouth visitor Insan Itee will probably start favourite and will still carry huge support on a dead surface.

She is underrated as she showed with her close third at Irish Rover in the Foxbridge Plate and her late-finishing third to Hurrah in a strong field at Awapuni last start.

Jim Gibbs said he will run class sprinter Devoted in the $20,000 Vermeer Land-Pride 1200m regardless of conditions, but stablemate Vaalu will re-appear only on a good surface.

"Both horses are forward and where I want them to be. They've got the advantage of their home track."