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Dark Dream will attempt to give Lindsay Park successive wins in the Ballarat Cup.
Lindsay Park is hoping the rain expected to fall on Saturday does not eventuate until after the Listed Ballarat Cup is run.
Trainers Ben and J D Hayes are aiming for back-to-back wins in the 2000m race when they saddle Dark Dream on Saturday.
The pair won the race with Zayydani last year while Lindsay Park was successful with Pilote D'Essai in 2016 who then went on to claim the Listed Pakenham Cup.
Dark Dream is coming off a last start second in the Kyneton Cup (2200m), shifted to Bendigo this year because of a waterlogged track due to the recent floods.
Ben Hayes said Dark Dream, while a longshot in Saturday's race, had the capabilities to run well, provided the track was not too wet.
The track was rated in the Heavy range on Thursday.
"He's got a good record on wet tracks, but he's a funny horse in that he doesn't like them bottomless," Hayes said.
"If it's a nice heavy surface, with no rain on the day, he gets through that well, so I'm hoping they don't get the rain forecast, or if they do, it comes later in the day."
Hayes said Dark Dream had progressed well since his latest outing, his first since finishing fifth in the Benalla Cup in September.
"I thought it was a really good effort at his last start when he was really strong to the line on a very heavy track," Hayes said.
"He's come through that run really well. It's a step up in class again, it's a very competitive race, but I think he'll run a good race.
"He should find a good position from the barrier and if runs well, and hits the line strong, we might consider backing him up at Caulfield in the Eclipse Stakes over 1800 metres, the following week.
"We'll see how he goes."
Hayes said the Ballarat Cup was a race the stable likes to tackle having had success in previous years.
"It was a big thrill with Zayydani last year. She was J D and my first ever winner which was in a stakes race in Brisbane," Hayes said.
"She was a superstar."
