Friday, 17 August 2012:
No trainer will be checking the weather map quite so intently as Mick Price as he awaits the return to racing of his star filly Samaready at Caulfield on Saturday.
Price hasn't ruled out revising his plans for his Golden Slipper placegetter if the Caulfield track became a bog, but he would rather not.
"I'm not worried about her on the wet track unless it got ridiculous," Price said.
"The situation is that she's running, I want her to run and I am pretty sure she will."
Price's immediate aim is the $1 million Group One Golden Rose at Rosehill on September 15.
"I just about have to run in it," Price said.
"A million dollars against her own age ... it's a must."
Ideally, Price wants to run Samaready on Saturday, again in two weeks and then have another two-week break to the Golden Rose.
"I could probably go another way, but that's where we want to end up," he said.
Samaready has had a couple of jump outs to prepare her for Saturday, but Price says he's been "kind" to her both times.
"We're looking at the Golden Rose, but we want to still be around for the Thousand Guineas," he said.
Samaready resumes in the Quezette Stakes (1100m) and is the main attraction on a card that is traditionally a spring racing platform.
Up to 10mm of rain is forecast overnight with more on Saturday morning, ensuring the track will be at least the heavy 8 it was rated on Friday.
Samaready is listed at $2.10, a price that might reflect the slight doubt in Price's mind, with her closest rival in the betting the unbeaten Elite Elle at $4.80.
In the colts and geldings division, the Vain Stakes (1100m), The Travelling Man and Psychic Mick head a wide market at $4.
But the value could be the topweight Underestimation who's had the benefit of three preparations and whose only run on a heavy track produced a brave win over 1410m at Flemington at his last start in December.
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