Liam Birchley believes Villiers hopeful Rags To Riches is going as well as this time last year despite his poor recent form.The nine-year-old Queenslander returns to Sydney for another crack at the Group Two Villiers Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.Last year the 79-start veteran was a desperately close third in a thrilling finish to the Villiers.Something Anything defeated Hey Elvis by a nose with Rags To Riches just a short head behind the runner-up.Rags To Riches came into last year's V

Liam Birchley believes Villiers hopeful Rags To Riches is going as well as this time last year despite his poor recent form.

The nine-year-old Queenslander returns to Sydney for another crack at the Group Two Villiers Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Last year the 79-start veteran was a desperately close third in a thrilling finish to the Villiers.

Something Anything defeated Hey Elvis by a nose with Rags To Riches just a short head behind the runner-up.

Rags To Riches came into last year's Villiers after winning the Listed Recognition Stakes (1600m) at Eagle Farm two starts earlier.

He returned home to finish a neck second to Pepperwood in the Listed Bernborough Handicap (1630m) at Doomben a week after the Randwick feature.

This year Rags To Riches goes into the Villiers after failing to beat a runner home at Eagle Farm last Saturday while a start earlier he beat just three home in the Recognition Stakes on November 28.

Birchley said the rock-hard tracks in Brisbane were the reason behind the poor showings.

"We're just hoping for a bit of rain, he just can't handle the hard tracks," Birchley said.

"It doesn't have to be massively rain affected, just a bit of sting out of the ground would be nice.

"He's still going as well but he just won't let down on those hard tracks, that's been the problem.

"He's done fine since the run (on Saturday) and because he hasn't been letting down, it's almost as though he didn't go around the other day."

The Bureau of Meteorology says there is a chance of an afternoon thunderstorm in Sydney on Thursday and rain has been forecast for Friday.

"It'd be nice if it happens," Birchley said.

Exciting stablemate Slice And Dice lines up in Saturday's $250,000 Inglis Nursery two-year-old race over 1000 metres.

Birchley has put a line through Slice And Dice's last start when he beat just one home at Eagle Farm on November 28 over Saturday's distance.

Swabs were taken and the colt was given a veterinary examination after the performance.

"They couldn't find anything wrong with him, everything's good and he trialled well the other day too," Birchley said.

"It was the hard tracks again, it's just terrible up here at the moment."

The Jet Spur colt, who will be having his fourth start on Saturday, scored a slashing win at his second start.

After running third on debut at Doomben in October, Slice And Dice defeated The Barracks by six lengths over 1000 metres at Eagle Farm on November 14.

"He's got a bit of experience under his belt and he's fit, so there's no reason not to take them on," Birchley said.

"I don't know a great deal about the opposition but he certainly deserves a crack at this race."