The looming gloom forced Kembla Grange's Provincial Championships qualifier to Goulburn, but the rain could still yet be a real wet blanket for trainers.
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Wollongong is expected to receive between 110 and 220mm of rain on Friday and Saturday, leading Racing NSW to switch the eight-race meeting away from the region, as they did with the Country Championships qualifier at Nowra recently.
However, there is still doubt over the meeting going ahead, with Goulburn rated a Heavy 9 on Thursday afternoon and expected to receive up to 60mm more in the coming 48 hours.
The deluge has even put the rich Golden Slipper meeting at Rosehill on Saturday in jeopardy.
Trainer Robert Price had targeted the Kembla Grange heat with five-year-old mare Liveinthefastlane, but is now left to consider pushing ahead at Goulburn on the wet ground.
"I would like to go around on a (Soft) five or six, no wetter," Price told Sky Racing.
However, Price is adamant Liveinthefastlane deserves a spot in the final, having ran second to Fortress Command in a Saturday Benchmark 78 on a Heavy 8 in November.
The five-year-old mare finished ahead of the Gary Moore-trained Petronius (third) in that race, who won on the Kensington track in a BM78 on Wednesday.
Liveinthefastlane is currently rated a $34 chance to win the Provincial Championships final at Randwick next month, but must finish in the top three on Saturday to qualify. Kim Waugh's Great News is the all-in favourite at $4.50, with Gwenda Markwell's Gemmahra at $9, having already qualified.
"I think she rates with them," Price said.
"You go back through her city Saturday form last preparation and she's right in the prizemoney.
"So she's only got to turn up in that sort of form and be very competitive."
Markwell will be hoping Stolen Glance secured her another ticket in the final, despite jumping wide after drawing barrier 17 on Thursday.
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Liveinthefastlane drew comfortably in barrier six, while Kerry Parker's Tampering has drawn the inside and the Anthony Mountney-trained Nindamos will jump from barrier eight, though has struggled on Heavy going in the past.
