The $160,000 Premier’s Cup Prelude (1800m) will now be run at the Kensington midweek meeting after heavy rain forced the abandonment of the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Randwick was already rated a Heavy 10 early in the morning, and a 7:30am inspection by Racing NSW and Australian Turf Club officials confirmed the track was waterlogged. With further rain forecast, Racing NSW chief steward Tom Moxon said there was no realistic chance of completing the 10-race card.
“The surface was already saturated and the forecast suggested more rain throughout the day,” Moxon explained. “It wasn’t just about starting – I wasn’t confident we could run through the full program safely.”
The original Premier’s Cup Prelude field has been reinstated for Wednesday’s Kensington fixture, with the race serving as a vital lead-up to the Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2000m) at Randwick on August 23.
Racing NSW has also made adjustments to next Saturday’s Rosehill meeting, including replacing the $160,000 Benchmark 88 sprint with a $200,000 Benchmark 94 Handicap (1200m) and increasing the Spring Preview Handicap (1400m) purse from $160,000 to $200,000.
While officials considered rescheduling the Missile Stakes, the close proximity of other major sprints at Randwick on August 23 led to the decision to abandon the race entirely.
Punters can find the latest odds and promotions for the Premier’s Cup Prelude and other upcoming features by visiting Australia’s leading betting agencies here.