Race tempo holds the key to the chances of handy Newcastle-trained mare Rapt.

A rain-sodden track is set to favour backmarker Rapt when she heads to Randwick and trainer Jason Deamer is hoping the tempo of the race does too.

The mare will be bidding to enhance her already impressive record over a mile in the Charity Challenge Handicap (1600m) having competed over the distance four times for three wins, the most recent of those over Saturday's circuit.

Her only defeat at the journey came last start in The Coast (1600m) at Gosford when she was shuffled back by a tiring horse on the home turn.

"They had all been getting off the fence earlier in the day but that race they didn't and she got stuck behind the horse of Kris Lees' (You Whang) who went backwards quickly," Deamer said.

"She wouldn't have won but she would have finished a bit closer. She had to duck and weave a bit.

"She seems to be going well but she is a 'get back' horse so she does need speed."

The winner of five of her 19 starts, Rapt took out the Hawkesbury heat of the Provincial-Midway Championships in February to earn a spot in the Final at Randwick on April 12.

Deamer gave her a seven-week break going into her autumn target to keep some speed in her legs for the 1400m and she made late headway to finish midfield behind winner Matcha Latte.

"She worked to the line nicely but they didn't go as fast as we would have liked, which made it hard," Deamer said.

"The first two across the line were up on the speed the whole way."

Deamer is hoping for a solid tempo this weekend when Rapt meets a field headed by the Joe Pride-trained favourite and wet track specialist Cool Jakey.

His mare also boasts a good record in the conditions with a win and two placings from four starts on heavy ground.

"Joe Pride's horse looks hard to beat. He loves the wet but he is a query at the distance," Deamer said.

"My mare loves the mile, she handles it wet and I'm happy to have Ash Morgan back on, he knows her well."

Tulloch Lodge has an interesting hand in the race with its two runners, the resuming Gold Bullion who is a stakes winner over a mile, and European import Asian Daze who makes her debut for the stable following two even barrier trials.