But Riversdale trainer Tony Stratford thinks his 3yr-old filly Bobbins can make the grade, provided the Forbury Park Trotting Club meeting goes ahead tonight at Forbury Park.
Sections of the track and the infield were under water yesterday afternoon after heavy rain throughout the day.
Forbury Park club president Gerald Cayford said officials would make a decision at 7.30am this morning on whether the meeting would go ahead.
If the meeting proceeds, Stratford has a small but handy team of two pacers and Bobbins to tackle their respective assignments.
A trotter's first start in the c1 grade can be a mental and physical challenge as the speed is appreciably quicker than the maiden trotters, but Bobbins finds herself in an ideal race tonight.
''To be fair, it's probably not the strongest one-win to two-win trot,'' Stratford said.
''It's probably the weaker of the two. She's pretty smart - if she wasn't to make a mistake, I would like to think she would beat that lot.''
Bobbins righted the wrongs of her eighth on debut at Ascot Park on May 16 by winning at Forbury Park on May 21, and Stratford expects driver Dexter Dunn will find the front if she steps away.
''She's probably more comfortable in front. I'd like to think if she can trot away or work away to the front after 300m or 400m, they'll be flat getting near her.''
Straight Thru Blue (race 5) looks to be a likely contender in a c0 2200m mobile pace from his second-line draw of 11.
''This guy is no star but he's due to win one. You would like to think he has improved in the last couple of runs and is heading in the right direction,'' he said.
Stratford did issue one warning that tighter bends are not all that ideal for the son of Panspacificflight.
''He's not that good around the bends,'' he said.
''That's why the drivers have been sitting him in around the bends instead of trying to come wide. So that's probably flattering him the last bit when he's still got a bit of petrol in the tank to hit the line.''
Stratford is persevering for a run or two more this season with Mach Of A Man (race 7) - a horse which has kept the trainer scratching his head during his 25 starts this season.
''I can't believe he hasn't won a race this season,'' he said.
''He's gone some great races this season - and he's gone some poor ones, too.
''He's due to have a spell but we just thought we would kick on.''
Stratford reported his smart 3yr-old, Pulp Fiction, will be back in work by the end of the month.
''If this weather keeps up like this, we'll get him in.
''The main aim will be to try and get him to Cup Week [in November] for a couple of supporting races then go from there.''
