Connors hoping Barbie will fire up if weather stays dry

While trainer Marc Conners eyes the $2 million Five Diamonds with smart mare Rebel Rama he’s hoping the cards fall honest four-year-old Starstruck Barbie’s way as she chases smaller fish at Canterbury on Wednesday.

The consistent Starstruck Barbie has been working up to a win with placings in good form races at her past two starts and Conners said the key to her chances in the City Tattersalls Group Handicap (1580m) was simply the track condition.

She handled a soft 6 well when run down by Roots at Canterbury two weeks ago so with the track rating one point lower a day out from the race Conners is looking to the sky for some assistance.

“That’s our greatest concern, we hope the track dries up a bit more,” Conners said.

“If we get a bit of improvement to a six or maybe a five it will be a bonus for her.

“A lot the tracks she raced on early were wet and that didn’t help her and her dry track form is so much better.”

Starstruck Barbie chased home Cinque Torri at Wyong second-up but it was her game second to Roots that has Conners confident her turn isn’t far away, especially with a class drop in her favour.

She hit the lead around the turn in that Benchmark 78 race and dashed away but had no answer to the talented Chris Waller-trained mare’s finish, but the trainer said it was no disgrace filling second place.

“That’s the way the race had to unfold for us the other day to have a chance,” he said.