"It will be good for him with the jar out of the ground," Rae said. The track was officially a dead (5) yesterday.
Don't Say Clang was a last-start winner over 1600m on a dead track at Riccarton on September 17 under 56.5kg. He has 1kg less weight tomorrow.
Don't Say Clang won the Spring Classic (2000m) two years ago under 57.5kg.
"He is racing as well as ever but he will go out for a spell after his race on Saturday. He needs give in the ground," Rae said.
Rae has ridden Don't Say Clang in work the past two days. She is on the road to recovery from a shoulder injury sustained in a training accident at Otaki last month which led to the death of her smart 3yr-old The Big Ginga. A winner at Oamaru in July and placed in his other three starts, The Big Ginga struck a rail in work. He punctured a lung. He returned to Riccarton but was put down after developing fluid on the lung.
"I am just so upset at losing The Big Ginga. The fact that I am a bit sore doesn't matter," Rae said.
Rae has also won races this season with Hold It Harvey, Imani, Ishiabeel, Shotoutofagun, Go Go Dingo and Coup Rocky Road.
Hold It Harvey, runner-up to Jimmy Choux in the Spring Classic at Hastings last Saturday, will race next in either the Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham on October 22 or the Coupland's Mile at Riccarton on November 9. He won the Thompson last season when it was run in March.
Imani, an open sprint winner at Hastings, will have his next start in the Stewards' Handicap at Riccarton on November 9.
Ishiabeel, winner of the Winter Classic, has been put aside for a spell. She will be brought back for autumn racing.
Shotoutofagun, a winner at Oamaru and placed in his other two starts, is in race 7 tomorrow.
