Soft conditions would suit Romancer: Begg

Trainer Grahame Begg will keep Romancer in Melbourne to capitalise on a likely rain-affected track.

The weather forecasts played a big part in Grahame Begg’s decision to keep Romancer closer to home to run at Caulfield rather than travel him interstate.

Begg had also nominated Romancer for Saturday’s Listed Winter Challenge in Sydney at Rosehill to keep that option open but with rain on Tuesday and showers forecast for Friday in Melbourne he decided Saturday’s Catanach’s Jewellers Handicap (1400m) was the best option.

“The weather prediction was for the rain here and that’s what he relishes, getting soft ground,” Begg said.

Begg is hoping some more rain falls heading into Saturday’s meeting to keep the Caulfield surface at least in the soft range, with the track rated a soft (5) on Thursday.

“The wetter the better,” he said.

Romancer has had three starts since being transferred to Begg earlier this year and is trained out of the Pinecliff property on the Mornington peninsula.

The five-year-old gelding won second-up for Begg in a heat of the Winter Championship Series Final over 1400m on a soft track at Flemington last month before finishing second in the Listed Winter Championship Series Final (1600m) at the same track last start on a track which got back to a good rating.

Banner error, could not find casino id "william-hill-sport"

“He is going well,” Begg said.

“We’ve obviously changed his environment. He’s being trained out of Pinecliff and we don’t work him hard.

“He does relish soft tracks, which is one thing, and I really believe a mile (1600m) is right at the top of his distance range.

“He travelled very well in the run the other day and probably didn’t let down quite as well in comparison to the way he travelled in the race.”

Given his belief Romancer is best-suited around 1400m, Begg is not concerned at all about dropping him back to that distance on Saturday.

“He’s had three weeks break between runs,” he said.

“We don’t have to do a lot of work with him. We just keep him ticking over.”

Romancer was the equal $4 favourite on Thursday with last-start Caulfield winner Travimyfriend.