One-time Golden Slipper favourite Furnaces has gained a consolation win in the Kindergarten Stakes, the first race on a rescheduled Randwick meeting.
Rain forced the transfer of the first day of The Championships from Saturday to Easter Monday.
The meeting began under clear skies but the track remained heavy.
Furnaces, who finished sixth in the Slipper won by Vancouver, handled his first start on a wet surface in the Group Three Kindergarten (1100m) with aplomb.
The colt overhauled early leaders Regatta Rebel ($16) and Redzel ($3.50) to live up to his $2.80 favouritism.
Godolphin trainer John O’Shea admitted he had concerns about the rain-affected track.
“It was his first time on it so it’s always a worry,” O’Shea said.
“He is a genuine 1200-metre horse and that helped him.
“He is a lovely colt and will be a genuine Group One horse next time around.
“He will be back in the spring and probably end up in something like the Coolmore.
“These Exceed and Excels are tough resilient horses and this is another great testament to the stallion.”
Furnaces beat Regatta Rebel by a half length with Redzel another three-quarters of a length behind.
Fourth-placed Magic Diamond finished another short neck away with her jockey Kerrin McEvoy protesting against Redzel’s rider Hugh Bowman.
McEvoy said his filly had lost her running when she went for a gap between Regatta Rebel and Redzel which closed and she was forced to change direction to go around the pair.
Although stewards agreed the protest had merit, it was dismissed on the grounds the margin was too great.
The winner’s jockey James McDonald said the conditions were testing but he was on the fittest horse.
“He got the job done. He was probably a bit fitter than the rest of them,” he said.
