Trainer Neville Layt thinks only the weather is capable of stopping Karuta Queen from a first-up win in a small field at Warwick Farm today.
The Queen of Queanbeyan is resuming in a 1000m sprint in Sydney and Layt told The Canberra Times yesterday the only way Karuta wouldn't salute was if the race was cancelled due to the big wet in Sydney.
A heavy track was no concern for Layt as he knows his three-year-old filly can handle the mud and he didn't fear any of the other runners.
''My biggest concern now is if this rain keeps going does the meeting get called off?'' Layt said. ''... I can't get her any fitter than what she is for 1000m and I don't think those horses are up to her calibre.''
Karuta enjoyed a break-out 2011, earning $1.5million in prizemoney and winning two black-type races, and Layt knows there's only one way to improve on that.
He wants to add ''group1 winner'' to her resume.
Today's run at Warwick Farm is an important stepping stone to the group2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at the same track in a fortnight.
A good showing there and Layt will look to the group1 TJSmith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in April.
He has his fingers crossed Black Caviar won't be there. One dance with Australia's sprinting sensation was enough for Layt.
''If [Karuta Queen] can go on and win a group1 that will be the pinnacle of her career,'' he said.
''That's where we're aiming for this year, she's still only a three-year-old filly and she's not fully matured yet and what she's done on raw talent all the way through.''
While it is normal practice for Black Caviar to run against small fields - her terrifying speed scares off the competition - Karuta might also struggle for runners to beat today.
Canberra trainer Matthew Dale has scratched topweight Unanimously and the wet Warwick Farm track - which was yesterday rated as a heavy eight - could scare off a couple more of the four other horses.
Dale has opted to head to Melbourne with his Not A Single Doubt gelding to try for back-to-back listed victories after saluting in the Canterbury Classic (1100m) last start.
It will be Unanimously's first time running anti-clockwise in today's listed United Arab Emirates Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield.
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