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By Ray Hickson

A seachange could well be the secret behind St Lawrence sitting on the cusp of a hat-trick at Rosehill on Saturday.

Johann Gerard-Dubord (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The six-year-old snapped a 14 month run of outs when he scored at Randwick on TAB Epsom Day then he backed it up claiming the Little Dance where he ran down Estadio Mestalla.

Ciaron Maher’s assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord said prior to St Lawrence’s breakthrough he was shifted to the Newcastle arm of the stable, Bob’s Farm, and he’s clearly reacted to the change of scenery.

“We sent him to the beach, he has been there before and he enjoys it up there,’’ he said.

“You can see it condition wise, it’s probably the best he’s looked in his last two runs. He’s holding his condition very well, he loves the work up there.

“It’s very quiet at the beach, they live in the yards and he seems to be doing well from there.”

St Lawrence, $4.80 with TAB on Thursday, was nominated for The Gong last weekend but Gerard-Dubord said the gelding races best with a bit of space between runs so the Group 3 $250,000 James Squire Festival Stakes (1500m) was ideal.

And he doesn’t have to face off with stablemate Gringotts, who will be heading to the Group 2 The Ingham in two weeks.

“We had Gringotts there, he probably was never going to beat him and we thought an extra week helps him too,’’ he said.

“He needs an easy week to get over his runs so three weeks is always better than two.

“He’s not a horse that carries much condition. It was the right call, this looks a bit easier and he’s in great form winning his last two.

“Hopefully he can keep it going, he’s well placed at the weights.”

The prospect of rain and a wet track at Rosehill is something new to St Lawrence since he’s switched back to Sydney but the stable feels he should cope.

That said, there is a feeling that he’s superior on top of the ground.

“We think he’s probably better on good tracks but if you look at his form he’s raced well on soft tracks and is a winner on a heavy track,’’ Gerard-Dubord said.

“He’s got a nice action that those good tracks probably help him with but it shouldn’t bother him that much.”

Two-year-old Icarian Dream will be in search of a confidence booster in the Ranvet Handicap (1100m) after a close up fourth in the Golden Gift three weeks ago.

Gerard-Dubord said the filly, who won on a soft 6 on debut, over reacted to some buffeting near the turn but recovered to be beaten a length by North England.

“She’s a little timid and when she got a bump from Annabel’s horse on the turn she dropped the bridle but to pick herself up and come back the way she did was very promising,’’ he said.

“She still lacks some confidence so losing the momentum would have been a big thing for her. Without that happening she would have been right there.”

If the rain does arrive it’s likely Naval Commission could back up in the Chandon Garden Spritz Handicap (1800m) after failing at Kembla Grange last weekend.

St Lawrence wins the Little Dance

Four of the gelding’s five wins have come on wet tracks.

“The track was very quick at Kembla,’’ Gerard-Dubord said.

“Down the back straight they slowed down and he dropped the bridle and never picked up again. It would have to be a wet track for him to run.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Rosehill meeting