Trainer John Blacker is confident he can win a third successive Longford Cup on Saturday even though his highest-rated horse has been scratched.
Last season's three-year-old of the year Swoop Dog had been topweight and the only horse not on the minimum for the $25,000 feature.
However Blacker said that the forecast temperature of 34 degrees had prompted him to withdraw Swoop Dog and wait for the Devonport Cup.
"With the high temperature and the fact that sometimes our horses can get a bit worked up when everyone's a bit close, I decided to keep him for Wednesday," the trainer said.
"I think he'll be suited there and, with Glass Warrior also running, we'll have a couple of good chances."
Blacker still has three chances to win the Longford Cup, with the stable to be represented by Super Swoop, Costero and General Maintenance .
He has had home-town triumphs in the past two years with Triple Strip and Glass Warrior, after earlier wins with Raami's Magic (1996) and The Producer (2014).
"I'm relying on Super Swoop to be our best chance to make it three in a row," the trainer said.
"And, I think he can. His work has been pretty sharp and he made up good ground last start after just getting too far back.
"We've got the right rider (Siggy Carr) and a good barrier.
"He's the best-performed of my runners and, given the right run, should be very hard to beat."
Bookmakers had Super Swoop on the third line of betting at $8.50 in their early market and he looks good each-way value at that price.
Bet365 opened the John Luttrell-trained mare Encosta Fiorente, who is chasing her fourth win in a row, at $1.95 ahead of the Tegan Keys-trained So Astounding.
YOLE ALL ALONE AT TOP OF TABLE
Ben Yole took only two races at Carrick on Friday to claim sole ownership of the 2021 national trainers' premiership.
Yole started the meeting on level terms with Queensland's Grant Dixon and would have shared the title even if he'd gone winless at the season finale.
However an easy victory to Jo Dina in the second of nine races took Yole to 229 wins for the season and gave him the premiership in his own right.
Jo Dina started off the second row but driver Gareth Rattray went forward early to head off the leader Sutter Star and that turned out to be the race.
The four-year-old mare cruised home by almost a length to record her fourth win since joining the Yole stable from Victoria.
In a race-eve interview, Yole identified Jo Dina and Endeavour Stride as the two best winning chance of his 24 runners and they scored at the nice odds of $2.90 and $10 respectively.
He also won with Major Lester to wrap up his best-ever season in fitting style.
PLUNGE HORSE RACES WAY ON BY
Former Victorian gelding Wayonbye landed a decent plunge and ran exceptional time to win the opening race for rating 57 to 62 horses.
He opened at $7 with Sportsbet and closed at $1.70 but bets prior to the scratching of pre-post favourite Helikaon were subject to a 31c in the dollar deduction.
Having his second start for trainer Tammy Langley and driven by Dylan Ford, Wayonbye sat behind the leader before looming to challenge on the home turn.
He raced clear in the straight to score easily in a 1:56.7 mile-rate.
LUCK TURNS FOR CONSISTENT FILLY
Living On Prare thwarted a longshot plunge when she held on to win the $10,500 Country 3YO Championship by a short half head.
Trainer-driver Rohan Hadley took the odds-on favourite to the death at the 1200m and went to the front turning for home.
However Galaxy Dancer, who had been backed from $34 to $15, charged late to just fail.
Living On Prare had been racing well and was third past the post in the $50,000 Bandbox Stakes final in November before being relegated to last for racing inside a number of marker pegs.
CARRICK RESULTS
1- NR 57-62, 1670m: 1.70f WAYONBYE (T Langley, D Ford) 1, 11.00 Classie American 2, 71.00 Scotlynn Beach 3. 5.5m, 3m. 1:56.7.
2- NR 30-44, 2150m: 2.90f JO DINA (B Yole, G Rattray) 1, 19.00 Benjamin Niadh 2, 3.60 Sutter Star 3. 3m, 1.3m. 2:01.8.
3- 2YO F, 1670m: 13.00 HIVOLTAGE GLENWOOD (B Mackrill, R Hillier) 1, 2.10f Missus Disaster 2, 4.50 Mezereon 3. 3m, 2m. 2:02.3.
4- NR 53-56, 2150m: 3.00f NOVA BAXTER (P Ashwood, R Hillier) 1, 9.00 Arthur Elliott 2, 19.00 Hez Razor Sharp 3. 4.5m, 2.5m. 1:59.28.
5- 3YO, 2150m: 1.80f LIVING ON PRARE (t/d R Hadley) 1, 15.00 Galaxy Dancer 2, 17.00 Cee Em Jamane 3. Sht 1/2 hd, 1m. 2:03.4.
6- NR 45-52, 2150m: 5.00 DEBT TILL WE PART (t/d P Williams) 1, 5.00 Mozasu 2, 13.00 Bettor Sport 3. 1m, lng nk. 2:02.7.
7- DISC. HCP, 2150m: 2.00f BE MAJOR THREAT (T Langley, D Ford) 1, 3.80 Izaha 2, 6.00 Wow You Can Dance 3. 1m, 4m. 2:00.8.
8- NR 55-65, 2150m: 7.00 MAJOR LESTER (B Yole, J Chibnall) 1, 10.00 Belle Of Brooklyn 2, 1.85f Bao Nien 3. Sht 1/2 hd, sht 1/2 hd. 2:00.1.
9- NR 63-69, 2150m: 10.00 ENDEAVOUR STRIDE (B Yole, R Hadley) 1, 21.00 Dapper 2, 10.00 Somedan 3. 1.7m, 1m.
