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When the inaugural running of the $500,000 The Coast was confirmed earlier this year trainer Joe Pride headed straight for where Brutality was spelling to pluck him from the paddock.
The Warwick Farm trainer wasn't sure what opposition the handy four-year-old would face but he thought early in May at Gosford he'd likely strike some rain and so far it appears to be going to plan.
Brutality has won four of his 14 starts but in the wet that record improves to four from eight so Joe Pride can only hope the rain sticks around as close to Saturday as possible.
"I had him in the paddock for what was going to be a touch longer but when they made the announcement I ended up bringing him straight in because I figured it would suit him,'' Pride said.
"I envisaged exactly what we're going to have, a wet track, and that works out well. The wetter the better with him, he loves it, he's an absolute swimmer.
"He's six starts on the good for one placing so he's clearly advantaged when he gets onto these kind of tracks."
The Coast is for three and four-year-olds over 1600m and given it is a new race Pride said it's hard to gauge the strength.
Brutality, $15 in all-in betting with TAB on Tuesday, is rated 78 and back in January, on a soft track, he swept past the likes of Pandano and Frosty Rocks to win a Benchmark 88 which is superior to what at least half the nominations have achieved to date.
Group 2 winner, at mares level, Nimalee has top weight of 59kg.
"It's a real mixed bag isn't it. You'd never get this collection of horses together for any other kind of race,'' Pride said.
"I see him being pretty reasonably placed running for this kind of prizemoney."
Kathy O'Hara, who won on Brutality first-up in his previous preparation, has the ride at Gosford and Pride said he was more than satisfied with the gelding's return this time around.
He was beaten 3.4 lengths by Lina's Hero over 1400m at Kensington on Anzac Day in seventh place but he ran a slick 33.58 (Punter's Intelligence) for his last 600m.
"It was fine but on a very firm track. It was probably what was expected so I thought he ran quite well,'' Pride said.
Stablemates Stockman and Easy Eddie are also set to benefit from a rain-affected track if that's what prevails on Saturday with the Listed $250,000 Gosford Gold Cup on the wish list for the former while the latter has his second shot at the Listed $150,000 Takeover Target Stakes (1200m).
Stockman, also entered for a Benchmark 78 over the 2100m, is fitter for two runs from a spell and has finished close up behind Mr Dependable in 1550m and 1800m Benchmark 88 races.
"He's like Brutality, he's really forming a record that tells you he wants wet tracks and he's going to get one,'' Pride said.
"He went really well (first-up) and it was a good form race with that import of Kris Lees' (Luncies) coming out to win on Saturday, and Mr Dependable won again, and that was a track with the sting out.
"Then we went on a hard track and he didn't go as well and that's him. Third-up he's ready to put in a big run for us."
Easy Eddie was runner-up to Tactical Advantage in the 2019 Takeover Target and hasn't been far away on firm tracks since he finished midfield in the Group 1 Galaxy in March.
"He's been looking for a wet track he hasn't seen one for a long time,'' Pride said.
"I took all these horses to the races two weeks ago and got rock hard tracks and here we are two weeks later and we're going to have some wet ones."
Meanwhile, Pride's stable star Eduardo is set to trial at Rosehill on Friday ahead of his Group 1 Doomben 10,000 assignment in Brisbane later this month.
