THERE could be up to 12 races at Rosehill on Saturday as the Australian Turf Club looks to make up for the loss of Saturday's Warwick Farm meeting.
The first washout of a Saturday meeting in five years has put pressure on trainers preparing their teams for the rich autumn carnival. The ATC considered transferring the meeting to today but after much discussion opted to abandon it. ''It was very disappointing we lost the meeting because it robs owners of the chance to get Saturday prizemoney,'' said premier trainer Chris Waller. ''I would have been happy to run all of my horses on Monday if it was moved.
''You look at the two days we have had [of sunshine], and you have to wonder whether the meeting shouldn't have been moved. We have to move on and find races for these horses.''
Racing NSW and the ATC are working closely to give opportunities to horses which missed out on runs on Saturday. While no races have been added to the Rosehill program, the ATC cut the two-year-old handicap from 1200 metres to 1100m, and it will be split provided there are enough nominations. The Benchmark 90 1500m has been made an open handicap, and nominations will be graded and split if necessary.
''While it wasn't a high-profile meeting there were a lot of trainers using races at Warwick Farm on Saturday as a stepping stone for other races during the carnival,'' ATC chief executive Darren Pearce said. ''We will be splitting races wherever possible to help trainers get the runs they need, and if that takes a couple of weeks, we are prepared to do that.
''Two-year-old and three-year-old racing in particular is very important heading into the carnival, so they are the main races we are looking at. We could have 10, 11 or even 12 races on Saturday depending on the nominations. We understand the 1500-metre race is crucial for many trainers, and will work with Racing NSW to try and have a couple of evenly graded races from the open handicap.''
Acceptors from Warwick Farm and the abandoned meeting at Kembla Grange on Saturday were allowed to nominate for Hawkesbury on Wednesday but the low-grade races didn't help many of the runners from the city meeting.
''The only two [runners] I would have considered putting in at Hawkesbury were [two-year-old] Kuchinskaya and Charing Cross, and there wasn't a race for either of them,'' Gai Waterhouse said. ''I think it is time that Racing NSW started thinking outside the box and we should be having [Saturday's] meeting on Monday.''
Wednesday's ATC meeting at Hawkesbury might have to be transferred because the provincial circuit ''has not recovered quickly enough'' since the final six races were called off last Thursday because of the heavy rain.
Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'landys said a decision would be made this morning about the Hawkesbury meeting and where it could be moved; Kembla, Wyong and Warwick Farm were the main options.
''I have spoken to [Hawkesbury chief executive] Brian Fletcher and he indicated the meeting would be in doubt,'' V'landys said. ''If that was to happen, we would look to move [today] and reopen nominations and add another couple of races. We understand that trainers are looking to get horses ready for the autumn, and with the amount of races that have been lost in the past week there is the need for more races.''
However, the structure of three-year-old racing in Sydney in the next month could force several emerging horses to take on their own age in Melbourne. The Sydney three-year-old races move into black-type mode, starting with the Royal Sovereign Stakes and Light Fingers Stakes at Warwick Farm on February 18.
Queanbeyan trainer Neville Layt has decided to take Karuta Queen to Caulfield on Saturday after missing out on a run at Warwick Farm. ''She is going to Melbourne for the Rubiton Stakes or the Kevin Hayes Stakes because I want to get a run into her before the Light Fingers,'' Layt said.
''Missing out on Saturday really stuffed everything up, and I'm not sure if I will go to the Light Fingers now. Maybe I'll go to the Oakleigh Plate after Saturday.''
Meanwhile, Ron Leemon will decide if Manawanui will run in Saturday's Expressway Stakes following his barrier trial at Rosehill tomorrow. The Golden Rose winner will be kept to mile racing this campaign and has a couple of options for his return. ''The barrier trial will be his major piece of work before his first-up run and it will help me decide whether to go to the Expressway or wait a week for the Royal Sovereign,'' Leemon said. ''I'm looking at races like the Hobartville and Randwick Guineas with him, and if he goes all right in those he would go to the George Ryder and Doncaster.''
Joe Pride's boom sprinter Rain Affair, which has won eight of nine starts, is also set for the Expressway.
Email a friend