Paul Grills hopes Melted Moments will give him a much-needed win at Tamworth on Tuesday.
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Guyra-based Grills is in the midst of his "worst year in quite some time" - with only four winners to his name this season, which finishes on July 30. He has had 86 starters this season, for a winning percentage of 4.7.
On Tuesday, Melted Moments will contest race four - a $22,000 benchmark 66 handicap over 2100 metres. The seven-year-old gelding has not won since claiming an open handicap at Armidale in November.
It was not that long ago that Grills was travelling quite nicely. Melted Moments was winning regularly, as was another of his horses, Image Of Love.
"Melted Moments sort of hit his peak and Image Of Love was retired, and I haven't picked up those quality horses this year yet," he said.
Grills said the greater number of provincial trainers launching raids on country meetings had made it tougher for country trainers.
Provincial trainers were doing that for a number of reasons, he said, including increased prize money in the country, the lower benchmark for winning a country maiden and a desire to give horses an "education".
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"It certainly wouldn't hurt," he said, in reference to Melted Moments winning on Tuesday.
Luke Cumberland will ride the horse at Tamworth, with him to jump from barrier nine carrying 58.5 kilograms. The top weight is the Lesley Jeffriess-trained Husonique.
Cumberland rode Melted Moments in his last start. The third-place finish in a 66 benchmark over 1900m at Armidale on June 4 was the horse's best result since finishing third in the Quirindi Cup on February 15.
Grills said Melted Moments would "give his all" at a benchmark that suited him.
"The biggest problem is he sometimes doesn't settle that well," the trainer said. "So if we can just get him to settle in a nice position, he'll give everything he's got when the chips are down."
Melted Moments has had nine wins in 60 starts including a run of four wins in five starts in 2017 that included a Manilla Cup triumph.
The Grills-trained Tickets For Youth will contest race three on Tuesday, a maiden over 1600m.
Grills has trained 84 winners and 268 placegetters in 1048 starts in a decade-long career. This season, he has also trained 11 placegetters.
