Chris Waller’s record number of runners in the Chelmsford Stakes will all take their places in the field despite the downgrade of the Randwick track.
Heavy rain overnight on Thursday and into Friday morning has the track in the heavy range.
Waller says it’s not ideal for some of his 11 runners in Saturday’s Chelmsford (1600m) but of no concern for the most favoured two – Royal Descent and Doncaster Mile winner Kermadec.
“Kermadec showed in the Doncaster he likes the wet and Royal Descent is foolproof in it,” Waller said.
“All the horses will run. We did think about whether or not to run Preferment but he needs to get his campaign underway and we don’t need anything to go wrong with his program.
“It may mean he finishes a bit further back than he might have but he will still run.
“But looking at the opposition, Hartnell and Pornichet both seem to like it wet or dry so it still won’t be easy to win.”
The winner of the Victoria Derby last spring, Preferment struggled on a soft track in the Australian Derby in April, finishing eighth as favourite, 7-1/2 lengths from the winner Mongolian Khan.
Godolphin’s Hartnell is the $3.20 favourite for the Group Two Chelmsford (1600m) with last-start Warwick Stakes winner Royal Descent at $4.20, Kermadec $4.40 and the Gai Waterhouse-trained Pornichet at $5.
The four are the only horses in the field under double figures.
