While the poor weather forecast has bought doom and gloom to many BTC Cup 2014 hopes ahead of Saturday, known mudlark Tiger Tees is one runner that will thrive on a rain-affected Brisbane track.

There are still 15 official entries for this year’s $400,000 Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m), the opening Group 1 of the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival likely to be run on a Slow – Heavy track.

Late week rainfall in Brisbane is on the cards, which comes as a blow to many of the race’s headline chances including the Rob Heathcote-trained Buffering.

But while the rain will whittle away the prospects of the preferred firm trackers, Sydney trainer Joe Pride will be cheering for his proven wet track performer Tiger Tees.

“I’m liking the idea of the rain,” Pride told AAP.

The Dubawi six-year-old shoots for their second Group 1 win following their narrow victory in The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill, the March 29 showdown run on a Slow (7).

From there Tiger Tees when to the TJ Smith Stakes and ran a solid fourth on the Heavy (9) Randwick track behind superstar Lankan Rupee.

Last start Pride’s stable ace ran third in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) behind Japan’s Hana’s Goal (1^st) and the Chris Waller-trained Weary (2^nd) in a nice Brisbane lead-up.

They’ve had three Heavy track starts to date for a win and a second, and have won three from five on Slow ground boosting their BTC Cup chances if it’s wet on the weekend.

They galloped this morning at home and are set to travel from Sydney to Brisbane on Thursday having impressed Pride this prep.

“Tiger is in great shape,” he said.

“He has been so good this preparation.

“I even though his run in the Challenge Stakes [when ninth to Villa Verde second-up] was good.”

While the weather will play its part, Pride also knows the importance of a good BTC Cup barrier draw for Tiger Tees who, along with triple Group 1 winner Buffering, is a front runner likely to be battling to lead the field around.

“It will all come down to barriers,” he said.

“If we draw inside Buffering then I wouldn’t want to hand up the lead to him so we just have to wait and see what we come up with.”

The BTC Cup 2014 final acceptances close tomorrow morning with the field to be released just after 9am.

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