A decision if and when the Group 1 $2m Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) will be run will made today by Racing officials at the Australian Turf Club after the feature two miler was declared a no-race at Randwick last Saturday.
Who Shot Thebarmna, above, escaped injury when he fell in the Sydney Cup that was abandoned at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Sydney Cup was dramatically and controversially declared a no-race when Almoonqith and Who Shot Thebarman fell just past the winning post the first time and Racing New South Wales Stewards declared the race a no-race because of safely concerns about the fallen horses and jockeys, Black Shinn and James Doyle.
Chief executive Darren Pearce said the committee will decide today if the Sydney Cup will abandoned or re-run but said there is a strong thinking that the race will be re-run.
“The strongest probability is the race will be restaged,” Pearce said said.
“It will just be a matter of identifying the best timing so far as programming,”
“Once we have discussed that with Racing NSW (Monday) we will be in a position to left everyone know the outcome.”
“The options are Anzac Day or there is some talk of a Warwick Farm Saturday meeting (April 22) that could be switched with Randwick to make Warwick Farm Anzac Day and Randwick on the Saturday that Warwick Farm has got,” he said.
“But there is quite a strong tradition around Anzac Day at Randwick so it is also a bit difficult to move that meeting.
“We are working through all of the scenarios and we will be able to let everyone know.”
Only half of the field eased down at the 800m when the clerks off the course let the jockeys know that the race was being cancelled but several riders didn’t hear the call and kept riding thier mounts competitively.
For the record the Charlie Appleby trained Polarisation with Corey Brown in the saddle was first past the post in front of Chance To Dance and Penglai Pavillon.
The Lindsay Park trained stayer Almoonqith had to be euthanized while trainer Chris Waller said that Who Shot Thebarman escaped injury in the incident and jockeys Blake Shinn and James Doyle both escaped serious injury.
