3 minute read

Trainer Joe Pride is hoping the predicted wet weather eventuates in Brisbane to give Tiger Tees his best chance to claim a second Group One win.

The long-range Brisbane weather forecast is bad news for some but has delighted trainer Joe Pride as he prepares to send Tiger Tees north in pursuit of another Group One win.

The six-year-old won The Galaxy (1100m) at the third of his five starts this campaign before finishing fourth in the $2.5 million TJ Smith Stakes won by Lankan Rupee and third in the All Aged Stakes taken out by Japanese mare Hana's Goal.

All three Group One races were run on rain-affected tracks and Pride is hoping the predicted wet weather arrives in time to soften the ground for Saturday's BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben.

"I'm liking the idea of the rain," Pride said.

"Tiger is in great shape. He will have a gallop on Tuesday morning and travel to Brisbane on Thursday.

"He has been so good this preparation. I even thought his run in the Challenge Stakes was good."

Tiger Tees only beat one runner home in the Group Two Challenge (1000m) won by Villa Verde but finished just a little over two lengths from the filly.

He was one of 15 nominations taken on Monday for the first Group One race of the Brisbane winter carnival.

The entries include Lightning Stakes winner Snitzerland, who will not start if the track is worse than dead, Brisbane champion Buffering and Group One winning siblings Temple Of Boom and Spirit Of Boom.

Pride said barriers would determine tactics with both Buffering and Tiger Tees noted front runners.

"It will all come down to barriers," he said.

"If we draw inside Buffering then I wouldn't want to hand up the lead to him so we just have to wait and see what we come up with."

Triple Group One winner Buffering finished third in the TJ Smith at his most recent start and had a solid work-out between races last week to get him ready for the BTC Cup.