By Craig Kerry
Tancred Stakes day at Rosehill, featuring two group 1 races, was postponed on Saturday morning, throwing the Sydney autumn carnival schedule into disarray.
Racing NSW stewards announced just before 8.30am that following overnight rain, and with up to 50mm forecast for the remainder of the day, the meeting had been postponed due to the condition of the track.
Racing has been called off at Rosehill, where Marhoona took out the Golden Slipper last Saturday.Credit: Getty Images
Officials said at 6.55am that the surface was rated a soft 7 and a further inspection would be held at 9am. However, further heavy rain prompted an earlier decision. The Rosehill area had more than 25 millimetres overnight and into the early morning.
Officials are yet to announce plans to move or reschedule the meeting, which was to feature the $1.5 million weight-for-age Tancred Stakes (2400m) and $750,000 Vinery Stud Stakes for three-year-old fillies.
Australian Turf Club head of racing and wagering Nevesh Ramdhani said officials were working on a contingency plan.
“With what we’ve had and what’s forecast, there’s no certainty we could have got through the program,” Ramdhani said. “We are ringing around to just get trainers’ views on it, and it won’t be long until we have a contingency plan in place.
“They are saying the rain is only today, and it will ease tonight, but whether tomorrow is going to be ideal … it’s probably still going to be a genuine heavy.”
The group 1 Vinery is a crucial lead in to the Australian Derby and Oaks over the following two weeks of The Championships at Randwick, while the Tancred was a key race ahead of the Sydney Cup and $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
The program also features the group 2 Tulloch, Emancipation and Neville Sellwood Stakes and the group 3 Baillieu, Star Kingdom and Doncaster Prelude.
