The roads that lead to Gore could make a big difference for Peter Rudkin's team after a tough fortnight.
Rudkin changed his game plan for the West Coast circuit this season, but it did not work for the Riccarton trainer.
''The whole four I took over to the Coast, I took over on the day,'' he said.
''I think I learned something - you can't do that. In other years, I've gone over to the Coast and I've stayed the week. This year, because I had extra horses in work, I went back and forward.''
The trips to Greymouth and Kumara yielded little other than a third in a five-horse field and Rudkin feels the hit-and-run missions were the problem.
''It's not the distance - it's the winding and the up and down which must be hard on them.''
Dickens is backing up from finishing last in the Kumara Gold Nuggets and heading to a track he loves. The 7yr-old is unbeaten two starts at Gore, including the 2013 Gore Cup.
He tackles the 2015 renewal of the 2000m open handicap. Rudkin is pleased to see Dr Dee Bee in the race, which brings Dickens' handicap down to 57.5kg.
''It makes a big difference once you get off that 59kg. He's only a small horse and once he gets that 59kg, it gets pretty hard for him, so that 57.5kg is a good weight for him.
''I'm hoping the trip over there hasn't taken too much out of him. But he's worked up really good, and he looks good so he shouldn't be too much different to what he was two years ago.''
Karaka Jack (race 10) also comes out of the Kumara Gold Nuggets, but drops back to his own grade in the rating 75 2000m, albeit at the top weight of 60kg.
''He comes back into his own grade so he's got an easier job than Dickens,'' Rudkin said.
''He looks to be a stronger horse than Dickens so the 60kg doesn't worry me on the weights but it's just whether he's bounced back as well and there's no reason why he shouldn't.''
Rudkin said Tricia'o (race 2) is his best chance of taking some spoils away from Gore, after her bold finish for second at Wingatui on Boxing Day.
''It was a very good effort. She should go close to winning it, I'd say. She's my best chance.''
The daughter of O'Reilly is carded to carry 56kg but Racha Cuneen will be trying to claim all of his 3kg allowance to help snare the $10,935 winning stake.
''I've saved her for that race as she's good enough to run for that sort of money,'' Rudkin said.
Summer's Boy (race 4) would appreciate more rain, after faring well on a slow track at Greymouth on January 4.
The listed Gore Guineas is a wide-open affair, with the TAB bookmakers opening smart filly Belle Miraaj as a loose $4.50 favourite.
Querer is second favourite at $5, despite co-trainer John Parsons having some concerns about the filly seeing out the 1335m.
