A push from chief steward Ray Murrihy has seen the rail moved out to the six metre mark for Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day at Randwick on Saturday.
Sydney's leading trainer Chris Waller could saddle up five runners in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Photo by Daniel Costello,
The rail position for the second day of ‘The Championships’ was originally planned to be out four metres after being in the true position last week, but after a track inspection on Wednesday following more rain earlier in the week, Murrihy made the recommendation for the repositioning of the rail.
“The inside section is cut up and extremely heavy,” Murrihy said.
“We were no hope of it being upgraded from a heavy track if the rail remained where it was.
“We approached the club and strongly suggested the rail come further out.”
The first day of ‘The Championships’ last Saturday was run a heavy 9 and and the chances of the track drying out for Saturday are looking slim, with a slow rating the best that could be expected.
Murrihy said that he had consulted the jockeys about moving the rail out further and had received unanimous support.
“To a man, the jockeys supported it,” Murrihy said.
Randwick track manager Nevesh Rhamdani is praying that the sun continues to sun for the remainder of the week and is hopeful that the track could come back to the slow range from the current heavy 9 rating.
“Mostly sunny Thursday, Friday and Saturday, so that is encouraging,” Rhamdani said.
“It looks a lot better than last week. Having said that Sydney during Carnival time anything can happen, but I am fairly confident there is some improvement to come with the weather and the track.”
“The best we could get to is probably a slow track and depends on how much that sun comes out on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.”
Leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller is hoping Rhamdani’s prediction is correct and the sun does come out as he is looking for a good racing surface for Boban in the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).
Boban is going into the weight for age grand final not having raced for three weeks after Waller scratched him from the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick last Saturday because of the heavy track.
“He just can’t quicken in the heavy going and it takes away his brilliance,” Waller told TVN.
“It was never our intention to run him in the Doncaster and that made it a little bit easier as well; it was always our plan to go three weeks from the George Ryder into the Queen Elizabeth and we just stuck to that plan basically.
“My biggest concern was getting the horse to settle this coming Saturday and I thought that running in the Doncaster would give us a chance to just take the edge off so to speak.
“As it worked out it was a very heavy track and hopefully it improves for Queen Elizabeth Day.”
But if the track remains wet, Waller will still have plenty of ammunition to fire in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes with Scared Falls and Royal Descent, the Doncaster Mile quinella as well as fourth placegetter Hawkspur all backing up after ploughing through the mud last week.
Waller will also back up My Kingdom Of Fife who finished tenth behind stablemate Sacred Falls in the famous Randwick Mile.
And the leading Sydney trainer will also saddle up Catkins and Red Tracer, the top two picks in the Group 1 $1m Cellarbrations Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m), with both mares having excellent wet track form.
