Trainer Tony McEvoy is hoping Melbourne’s spate of wet weather will soften up the Caulfield track enough to nullify another poor barrier draw for his Sale Cup winner Mouro.

The French import has drawn the outside gate in Saturday’s 10-horse Eclipse Stakes field, a barrier McEvoy described as “very frustrating” given the horse has jumped from similar alleys at his past two races.

“Luckily we have a horse which is very flexible and can be ridden forward or back,” McEvoy said.

“It will all come back to tempo and how we see the race.”

McEvoy said the five-year-old entire jarred up after his unplaced effort in the Group One Toorak Handicap at Caulfield two runs back when he found the track surface too hard.

“There was better ground at Sale and we’re hoping the rain in Melbourne will help him, making the ground nice and easy,” McEvoy said.

McEvoy scratched Mouro from the Emirates Stakes last Saturday believing the crack Group One field was just a little too strong for his horse at this stage.

That race was won by Sydney star Boban with two Victorians, Smokin’ Joey and Speediness, second and third respectively.

And it’s the Speediness form line which shows McEvoy that Mouro has the ability to succeed at Group level.

Mouro defeated Speediness in a Listed race at Hawkesbury in May and two weeks later Speediness turned the tables to take out the Listed Scone Cup.

“Mouro is right around that mark,” McEvoy said.

Mouro is the highest rated horse in Saturday’s Eclipse Stakes at 104, ahead of the Gai Waterhouse-trained Rain Drum who has a rating of 100.

The 1800 metre journey will be the longest trip Mouro has raced over so far in his career.

“He will enjoy the 1800 but I believe he’ll be better at 2000,” McEvoy said.

After the Eclipse, Mouro will head to the paddock with McEvoy planning to target him at a Group One 2000 metre race in the autumn.