The Premier’s Cup Prelude has been switched to the Kensington midweeks but the Group 2 Missile Stakes has been abandoned after the Royal Randwick washout on Saturday.
Randwick was already rated a Heavy 10 early Saturday morning before Racing NSW and Australian Turf Club officials conducted a track inspection just after 7.30am when the decision was made to call off the race meeting.
Racing NSW chief steward Tom Moxon said the Randwick course proper was waterlogged and with the forecast of more rain during the day, he wasn’t confident of even getting the meeting started let alone staging all 10 races.
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It was then announced the $160,000 Premier’s Cup Prelude (1800m) would be added to the Kensington meeting on Wednesday with the original field reinstated.
This race is regarded as a crucial lead-up to the Group 3 $200,000 Premier’s Cup (2000m) at Royal Randwick on August 23.
Racing NSW also confirmed changes to next Saturday’s Rosehill program with the addition of a $200,000 Benchmark 94 Handicap (1200m) replacing the $160,000 Benchmark 88 sprint, while the Spring Preview Handicap (1400m) will now be worth $200,000 (up from $160,000).
Some consideration was given to rescheduling the Group 2 $300,000 Missile Stakes but it was ultimately abandoned for various reasons including the race’s close proximity to other feature sprints programmed for Royal Randwick on August 23.
Understandably, some trainers with Missile Stakes entries were perplexed why the stakes race wasn’t added to either the Kensington midweek meeting or Rosehill next Saturday.
Trainer Joe Pride conceded $12m earner Private Eye is likely to resume in Melbourne after the Missile Stakes washout.
“I’m disappointed and it probably means Private Eye goes to Caulfield next Saturday for the PB Lawrence (Stakes),” Pride said.
“There is the option of waiting for the Winx Stakes (Randwick, August 23) but he won’t run in both. I am happy for him to go to 1400m straight away as he is ready for it.
“If we go to Melbourne, we might keep him there for the Memsie Stakes or bring him back to Sydney for the Tramway Handicap.”
Private Eye could head to Melbourne for the PB Lawrence Stakes. Picture: Getty Images
Pride said he felt for Private Eye’s ownership group, Proven Thoroughbreds, after their sprinter missed out on contesting the Missile Stakes.
“This is the second time this year it’s happened to Proven Thoroughbreds when they had a dominant feature-race favourite,” Pride said.
“Proven had Accredited in the Carrington Stakes but that race was abandoned due to a lack of acceptances.”
Gerald Ryan, who trains in partnership with Sterling Alexiou, has had to rethink the race program for his talented sprinter, General Salute.
“It has me beat why they can run the Prelude on Wednesday and not the Missile Stakes,” Ryan said.
“We will probably have to go to the Show County Quality (August 23) with General Salute now.”
Ryan revealed he would have considered entering his promising three-year-old colt Skyhook for the Missile Stakes if the race had been added to the Rosehill meeting next Saturday.
But Skyhook will now resume alongside stablemate Blitzburg in the Listed The Rosebud.
Gary Portelli said his leading Epsom Handicap contender Encap is also set to resume in the Show County Quality at Royal Randwick later this month.
“Encap is entered for the Rosehill trials on Monday and then he will return in the Show County,” Portelli said.
“We went to the Show County first-up last year and then he won the Theo Mark Stakes so we will follow that program again to get him ready for the Epsom.”
Epsom Handicap contender Encap is set to trial on Monday if it goes ahead. Picture: Getty Images
But the crucial Rosehill barrier trials session on Monday which also features The Everest hopeful Private Harry, Arapaho, Lindermann, Swiftfalcon and top three-year-olds North England, Within The Law, King Of Pop, Rivellino and Hidden Achievement, hinges on a track inspection on Sunday.
ATC track manager Michael Wood said there are contingency plans in place for the Rosehill trials including rescheduling to Tuesday or even Friday if necessary.
Kris Lees, trainer of tough gelding Brudenell, will also consider Melbourne options for the sprinter.
But the decision to move the Premier’s Cup Prelude to the Kensington meeting on Wednesday was welcome news for Lees who has Adelaide River and Age Of Sail set to resume racing.
The washed out Missile Stakes meeting is the second Sydney Saturday meeting this year that has been called off due to wet weather.
The Group 1 Tancred Stakes race day at Rosehill during the autumn carnival had to be moved to Tuesday with English raider Dubai Honour winning the feature race and Treasurethe Moment taking out the other Group 1, the Vinery Stud Stakes.