Road to Cox Plate starts for More Joyous
By Mandy Cottell
At this time of year the trial track can hold as much interest as the racetrack and that will be the case on Monday with another sparkling set of heats at Randwick.
Leading Cox Plate contender More Joyous heads a strong contingent for Gai Waterhouse including progressive types Nobby Snip, Niagara, Fat Al, Raceway, Lator Gator and proven stayer Tullamore.
More Joyous will be making her first public appearance on Monday since her emphatic win in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in April.
Other Group One winners on track to trial include Secret Admirer, Sincero and The Verminator while Australian Derby runner-up Polish Knight is also pencilled in to go around.
Rain Affair has yet to claim a Group One but trainer Joe Pride is hoping that will change this spring.
The winner of 11 of his 15 starts, Rain Affair has been entered to trial over 850m with the Group Three Concorde Stakes (1100m) at Warwick Farm on September 8 his likely kick-off point.
"He's great and he might step out at the trials on Monday," Pride said.
"We've got a few options we're toying with but we might run him first-up in the Concorde."
Pride said Rain Affair would have a relatively light spring with the Group One Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley on October 26 eve his major goal.
One horse not down to trial on Monday is juvenile triple crown winner Pierro.
Waterhouse said that Pierro was coming along well but connections had yet to map out a spring program.
"Pierro is going super, 10 more days of pace work will tone the colt up. A big spring ahead, program not formalised yet," she tweeted.
The first Group races of the season get underway on Saturday with the Missile Stakes in Sydney, Aurie's Star Handicap in Melbourne and Spring Stakes in Adelaide.
© Australian Associated Press Pty Limited (AAP) 2012
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