Joe Pride's old guard will look for the group 1 they deserve in The Galaxy at Rosehill on Saturday, but the Warwick Farm trainer believes Terravista could be ready to take a big step up in the George Ryder Stakes.
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A relative newcomer in Steps In Time gave Pride a group 1 win in last week's Coolmore Classic but with Rain Affair, Tiger Tees and See The World in The Galaxy and Terravista to follow, he is hopeful of back-to-back top level wins.
"You don't have the chance to do it too often,'' Pride said. ''I certainly have never done it. I can't fault Terravista and what he has done this preparation.
"I think he is going to get to this weight-for-age level, but it is a question of when. We are going to find out a lot more about him in the Ryder on Saturday."
Terravista has scored back-to-back group 3 wins this autumn, including beating El Roca in the Liverpool City Cup last start.
"He is talented, but this is a real test," Pride said. "It is hard to know what to expect of him at this level but I think he will be there within striking distance of the winner. He'll be closer to these horses than people think."
Earlier in the afternoon, Pride will be chasing a dream result with Rain Affair, a four-time runner-up at group 1 level, in The Galaxy. The noted wet tracker was promoted to favourite at $6 by Ladbrokes after the scratching of Snitzerland on Friday morning.
"It is hard to know what to make of those first two runs but he is a horse that deserves a group 1," Pride said. "But I'm taking three horses to that race that will handle the conditions and it is very hard to split them.
"Tiger Tees won well in Brisbane first-up and I thought his run the other day [in the Challenge Stakes] was all right. He likes this trip and gets a track that he likes."
It has been a couple of years in the planning to get See The World in The Galaxy and when the seven-year-old made the best return of his career from a spell last start, Pride opted to take him to group 1 company for the first time.
"We have looked at this race for him for the last couple of years but haven't pulled the trigger," Pride said. "Now it is 1100m at Rosehill, where his record is great, it made it an easy decision.
"After his first-up second under 63.5kg we decided to wait a week with him, instead of going to the Maurice McCarten, which he won a year ago.
"His best run is usually second-up, his record [of four wins from five attempts] will tell you that and he handles the ground."
The Galaxy is wide open with Challange Stakes winner Villa Verde second pick at $6.50, but Kencella ($7), Temple Of Boom, Sessions (all $8.50) and Famous Seamus ($9.50), are all given hopes in the day's feature sprint.
