The state of the Randwick course proper is again the centre of attention on the eve of George Main Stakes day, with overwatering causing the track to be rated in the slow range.Randwick will host the highly-anticipated clash between star stablemates Theseo and More Joyous in the Group One George Main (1600m) on Saturday but some of the focus has been taken off that with the posting of a slow (6) despite fine weather and only 3mm of rain this week.Australian Jockey Club (AJC) chief executive Darr

The state of the Randwick course proper is again the centre of attention on the eve of George Main Stakes day, with overwatering causing the track to be rated in the slow range.

Randwick will host the highly-anticipated clash between star stablemates Theseo and More Joyous in the Group One George Main (1600m) on Saturday but some of the focus has been taken off that with the posting of a slow (6) despite fine weather and only 3mm of rain this week.

Australian Jockey Club (AJC) chief executive Darren Pearce admitted the track was given far more irrigation than it should have last Sunday.

He said the track needed "controlled bursts of two to three millimetres" of irrigation to "water-in" fertiliser as part of its rejuvenation program to help the grass grow.

"Clearly something has gone wrong in the execution of that and it's got more water than it should have," Pearce told Sydney's Sky Sports Radio.

"It hasn't been watered since Sunday so for it still to be a slow (6) it must have got a hell of a drink on Sunday.

"All I can say is my guts are churning and frustration is turning to anger."

The Turnpoint company maintains the Randwick tracks in conjunction with the AJC.

Pearce was hopeful fine weather could see an upgrade into the dead range on Saturday but added: "It (the track) should be good and I don't think it's good enough from us or from our contractors and I think stern words will be had."

Chief steward Ray Murrihy ordered a couple of horses to be galloped over the track in his presence on Friday morning and wasn't as optimistic of an upgrade.

"(Steward) Greg Rudolph and I had no hesitation in saying this track is in the slow range," Murrihy said.

"It's holding a fair amount of moisture and there's not enough grass coverage to keep the horses on top of it - quite disappointing leading into a big race meeting.

"We'll have a look at it again tomorrow morning, we'll gallop a couple of horses again, but it's not where it should be."

While the track will come under the spotlight on Saturday the racing promises plenty with the Group One George Main the headline act.

More Joyous, unbeaten in more than a year, is the dominant $1.75 favourite with TAB Sportsbet to upstage five-time Group One winner Theseo ($3.80).

Gai Waterhouse is struggling to split the pair but said on her website that the weight-for-age showdown had the makings of a classic.

"This is the clash of the titans, it is superior male versus superior female, Group One-winning miler versus Group One-winning miler, warhorse versus a queen, toughness versus brilliance, Nash (Rawiller) versus Corey (Brown).

"This is a race with all the attributes of a great one."

Theseo's jockey Rawiller sent a scare through the camp on Friday morning with a fall at trackwork when a horse he was riding broke down.

The jockey underwent X-rays which revealed no breaks and he reported to stewards that he was confident of fulfilling his engagements at Randwick.

He has stood down from his two rides at Moonee Valley on Friday night.