Jen Hawkins has had to take a rain check but organisers of Sydney’s richest racing carnival are hoping crowds will turn out on Monday after heavy rain forced the postponement of The Championships at Randwick.
Stewards made the difficult decision to cancel Saturday’s $10 million race meeting after relentless rain raised concerns about safety and track conditions.
The Championships is seen as Sydney’s answer to the Melbourne Cup and features some of the country’s richest races in a nearly $20 million program over two consecutive Saturdays.
Day two of The Championships, which includes the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes, will still go ahead on Saturday, April 11, as planned.
The cancellation of day one on Saturday forced sponsor Myer to cancel its much-anticipated Fashions on the Field competition for the first week.
A Myer spokeswoman said the short notice would make rescheduling the contest to Easter Monday too difficult, while “Face of Myer” Jennifer Hawkins – who was to judge the parade – had commitments elsewhere.
Myer has now rolled its week one fashions prize pool into week two, meaning nearly $100,000 will be on offer to the best-dressed woman and man at the track.
Actor Jodi Anasta will fulfil judging duties alongside Kris Smith.
Celebrity spotters can still take consolation from actor Daniel McPherson’s announcement via Twitter that he and fiancee Zoe Ventoura will show up on Monday, where he will do his duties for Tasmanian beer brand Boags.
In another blow to the glitz of the rescheduled race day, the $450-a-head Little Sydney precinct will also not go ahead on Monday, with Saturday’s patrons to receive a full refund.
However an Australian Turf Club spokesman said almost all other catering and corporate hospitality would operate on Monday.
Food left over from the cancelled race meeting was to be given to charity on Saturday.
The spokesman said it was too hard to estimate expected crowds at Monday’s meeting.
The Championships had been expected to attract 25,000 people to Randwick on Saturday before chief steward Ray Murray announced the cancellation just after 9.30am.
“With the significant amount of rain that has fallen since 6am we couldn’t be confident due to the visibility for jockeys in the rain, and the effect that the rain would have had on the track,” Mr Murrihy said.
The cancellation sparked an enormous logistical operation to find accommodation for out-of-town horses and their connections and reschedule races for Monday’s program, which will run after the end of daylight saving.
