The prospect of a good track at Randwick on Saturday has trainer Ron Maund believing Ice Chariot can break his long winning drought in the Group Two Chairman's Handicap.So far the Group One winning Queenslander's Sydney Cup campaign has been a disaster with the 2600 metre race his third in NSW this time in.Randwick track manager Dave Hodgson said he expected the surface to improve from a dead four as long as the rain predicted for Saturday held off until late in the day.Ice Chariot beat only one
The prospect of a good track at Randwick on Saturday has trainer Ron Maund believing Ice Chariot can break his long winning drought in the Group Two Chairman's Handicap.
So far the Group One winning Queenslander's Sydney Cup campaign has been a disaster with the 2600 metre race his third in NSW this time in.
Randwick track manager Dave Hodgson said he expected the surface to improve from a dead four as long as the rain predicted for Saturday held off until late in the day.
Ice Chariot beat only one runner home in last Saturday's Neville Sellwood Stakes run on a heavy track at Rosehill.
Prior to that run, stewards ordered Maund to trial Ice Chariot after he was beaten more than 30 lengths when eighth to Theseo in the Ranvet Stakes on March 21.
Ice Chariot has not won since the Listed D'Urban Quality (1700m) at Caulfield in September 2007.
"We've had to slog around in the wet just to get some miles in his legs and I'm just hoping he hasn't forgotten how to win," Maund said.
"I saw him a couple of times when I was in Sydney for the sales this week and on face value he looks great.
"We think all he needs is firmer ground to win again and it looks like he's going to get that Saturday."
Ice Chariot landed the biggest win of his career on a dead track in the Group One Queensland Derby (2400m).
"He's bred to hate it and I nearly gave it up the day he won the Derby," Maund said.
"He can handle a little bit of sting out of the ground but anything worse and that's the end of him and it was pretty wet for the Derby, so I still can't work that one out."
Maund was pleased and surprised that jockey Glyn Schofield had stuck with Ice Chariot for Saturday.
"I thought we might have lost him but he can see it's the tracks that have proved his undoing and it's great to see him staying with us and a good sign for the Sydney Cup," Maund said.
Ice Chariot was rated a $26 chance for the Chairman's by TAB Sportsbet on Friday with Enzedex Eagle ($4.80) edging Common Objective ($5) for favouritism.
Fiumicino and Master O'Reilly are locked at $6.50 for the Group One Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick on April 25 with Ice Chariot a $26 chance.