Streaming rain in Tokyo is causing top jockey Douglas Whyte concern on the eve of the Sprinters Stakes where he partners Best Of The Best in a bid to win another overseas Grade One race for Hong Kong.
Best Of The Best takes on the cream of Japan's speed horses at Nakayama racecourse in what will be run as the first race on today's National Day programme. Punters can watch the race at Happy Valley racecourse or on Cable at 2.35pm.
Whyte remains confident Best Of The Best will acquit himself well, but was looking at constant rain from his bedroom window yesterday.
'It is not what we need. The track is cut up as I mentioned previously and there's another 12 races on it today. There will be 10 more tomorrow before we get to my race and the forecast is for more rain. That means the ground could be in a really bad way and that is not going to be a help to Best Of The Best in a slogging finish,' said the talented South African rider.
The gelding has not run since winning the Centenary Cup down the 1,000-metre course at Sha Tin six months ago.
Best Of The Best hacked around yesterday just to keep him loose and Whyte repeated afresh that the gelding had never looked better. He also cast an eye over some of his leading opponents working out and came up with a couple who looked the part.
