A character from a children's show inspired the stable name for Rain Affair but his temperament is anything but kid-friendly.

The top class sprinter, odds-on favourite to win Saturday's Group Three Missile Stakes (1200m) at Randwick, is known around Pride's stable as "Roary" after the main character in the television show `Roary the Racing Car'.

"It was my son's favourite show when he was a toddler. In the show, Roary doesn't like to hold back and he likes to go fast so it's turned out to be a good name for the horse," Pride said.

But along with his sheer speed, there is another side to Rain Affair.

And it is probably the quality which makes him so good.

He is a competitor, on and off the track, and he likes the horses and humans around him to know it.

"He's a bully. If he was in the school yard he would take everyone's lunch money," Pride said.

"It's not because he is angry or sour. He is quite a happy horse, he is just aggressive."

It was the Missile Stakes of 2011 which launched Rain Affair's career, giving him his first Group race success.

Overall he has an imposing record with 11 wins from 22 starts but what sticks out to Pride is that the most recent of those victories was 17 months ago.

For a horse as competitive as Rain Affair, winning is critical, so this campaign Pride has taken steps to arrest the drought.

A scintillating nine-length barrier trial win last week was one part of his plan.

"He got a lot out of that trial the other day," Pride said.

"He's been bouncing around all over the place. It did his confidence the world of good to put some horses to the sword."

Targeting the Missile Stakes first-up was also a considered move.

Rain Affair campaigned exclusively in Group One company last preparation and drops to Group Three grade on Saturday.

While he has won two of his five first-up runs, Pride admits the gelding can be vulnerable at the start of a campaign.

"They're not his best runs, although I don't consider this a genuine first-up run because he only had one month in the paddock," Pride said.

"But I very deliberately dropped him in grade to compensate because he's not at his best first-up."

Rain Affair will get his favoured wet conditions in the Missile with Randwick downgraded to a heavy eight on Thursday.

Pride will also saddle-up Title ($15) in the eight-horse field for the first Group race of the new Sydney season.