Sydney's big wet hasn't fazed Irish trainer Tom Hogan as Gordon Lord Byron heads to Saturday's George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill, but mosquitoes at Canterbury have been a concern for the international visitor.
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"This is just settling the dust," Hogan said. "In Ireland we had 40 inches in January and February, so we are used to it.
"It compacted my track at home and made it firm because of the way it was built, which helped [Gordon Lord Byron] get ready to come out."
Hogan has been happy with the way Gordon Lord Byron coped with the trip, the only thing that unsettled him were some mosquitoes that took a liking for the six-year-old's Irish blood earlier in the week.
The seasoned traveller, which has raced in Dubai and Hong Kong, has had the problem before in France, but Hogan has a good idea of where Gordon Lord Byron sits heading to Rosehill.
"He got attacked at Deauville last year by mozzies when he ran third to Moonlight Cloud [in Prix Maurice De Gheest], we did a blood after that race and it showed his count was up a bit," Hogan said.
"That will be not be a problem here because they are taking blood from him every day as part of the quarantine and we are getting a picture of him.
"They have put a couple of zappers up in the stable and he seems a happy horse now."
Gordon Lord Byron will start at big odds ($21-plus) in the Ryder but his form shows he is a quality performer. Twice a group 1 winner, in the Prix La Foret on a heavy Longchamp and in the Haydock Sprint Cup, and three top-level placings as well - fourth in the past two Hong Kong International MIles and the Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot last year.
"I don't know how to line up the form, he run fourth in Hong Kong and he was as good as we have him at the moment. Whether that has him running first, second, third or fourth in this race, I am not sure," Hogan said.
One thing from the form is that Gordon Lord Byron has handled wet ground but Hogan warned that his group 1 win in the De La Foret could be slightly deceiving.
"He was only being chased by a group 2 horse that day, but his Haydock was on softer ground as well," Hogan said.
The Irishman headed to Rosehill to have a look at the surface and joked about what he might find after listening to some reports.
"I'm going to go out to Rosehill for a swim later on but I think everything will be right," he said.
Hogan was surprised by the grass covering at Rosehill when he walked the track, rated a heavy nine on Friday, with Australian Turf Club course manager Lindsay Murphy.
"He was interested and left happy," Murphy said. "We have had a our share of rain and the track is a heavy nine and it is not going to get the chance to improve. We are just hoping we don't get rain during the meeting now."
