Sydney’s wet weather could deny racegoers the opportunity of seeing their new super star Winx taking her place in the Group 2 $250,000 Tattersalls Club Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
The wet weather could see Winx, above, scartched from the Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Randwick track is rated a heavy 8 on Friday morning after receiving 14.4mm in the last twenty-four hours and with plenty of rain currently falling in the Sydney area, the prospect of a downgrade is on the cards.
Premiership winning trainer Chris Waller said he would not have a problem scratching Winx from the Chelmsford Stakes if the track reached a heavy 10 and will wait until Saturday morning before making a final decision.
“If it gets to a Heavy 10, does she need to be running on it? Would you run her on it? Would the punters run her on a Heavy 10?” Waller told racing.com.
“Obviously we take everything in to consideration, it is midway through a long preparation, so that is the things going through my mind, I’ve made a point to not get too carried away with it, we will make a decision Saturday morning.
“There is a lot forecast on Friday and a little bit again on Saturday, we are just hoping it doesn’t come.”
“I took heart from the Randwick track raced two weeks ago when she did win first-up, they have made some good progress with the track over the winter months.”
“Let’s hope the rain doesn’t dampen things too much for Winx, she has obviously come on very well from the first-up run and we know where she is at now so everything is unfolding well.”
Winx will be chasing her eleventh win on the trot if she takes her place in the Chelmsford Stakes while Waller said that the Group 1 $500,000 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on September 17 will be the mare’s main Sydney Spring Carnival target before she heads to Melbourne to defend her title in the Group 1 $3m Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 22.
“The George Main is our main Sydney goal so you’d like to give her two runs before that,” Waller said.
“With a three week gap you have to go a little bit harder with them on the training tracks and four weeks you have to think about trialling in between but she’s a mature horse now and I can be a little more adventurous with her.”
Winx recorded her tenth win on the trot when she resumed from a spell to win the Group 2 $250,000 Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on August 20 and is currently the $1.14 favourite for the Chelmsford Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Market order for the Chelmsford Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $1.14 Winx, $7.50 Prized Icon, $11 Hartnell, $41 Preferment, $81 Storm The Stars, $91 Who Shot Thebarman, Spiritjim, $126 Grand Marshall.
