IT WAS perhaps the omen bet of the year.
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On a Heavy10 track hammered by wild storms in the lead-up which ensured some sections of the Murrumbidgee Turf Club's car park were underwater, Whenitrainsitpours duly saluted in a Class 1 Handicap (1300m) on January 6.
The three-year-old filly's two wins in four career starts have both come with give in the ground, but her Wagga trainer Tim Donnelly is confident she will prove she can perform on a dry track at Wagga's Australia Day meeting on Wednesday.
A strong run in the R H Blake and Co Class 2 Handicap (1400m) means she will likely target the $150,000 Wagga Championship on February 19.
"She's by a horse called Your Song, who is a really good wet track horse. Hopefully she's not just a wet track horse, her only unplaced run was on a dry track, but I think it was more due to the barrier that day," Donnelly said.
"She's had two start on wet tracks for a win and a second so obviously she does like the wet, but she's given no indication she doesn't like the dry either.
I've only had a quick look at the form in the race. She's gone from a Class One to a Class 2, but obviously the market respects her."
Whenitrainsitpours won her last race coming from back in the field over 1200m, but her maiden win in late August was a pacesetting victory over 1300m.
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It gives Donnelly confidence she will relish the extra distance.
"Now she's up a bit more in distance, she should definitely be in the first couple in the run," he said.
"I always thought 1400 would be the ideal distance for her. She relaxes well and races on the speed, but doesn't stop at the end of the races.
"She will only improve as she's only had the four starts, we haven't seen the best of her yet."
Donnelly will also saddle up another talented filly, Blushing Mary, in the Daily Advertiser Benchmark 58 Handicap (1200m).
Blushing Mary backed up a sixth on debut on Christmas Eve with a win on the same day as Whenitrainsitpours saluted on January 6. Donnelly is confident she will measure up against older and more proven horses, despite drawing barrier 13.
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