The Australian Turf Club (ATC) has confirmed that there will be changes to the date and distance for certain Spring Carnival feature races.
The Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) for three-year-olds will be pushed back a week, run as a stand-alone feature at Royal Randwick on October 12.
But the changes could present problems to the Spring program for certain horses, like the promising Anthony Cummings-trained Drago, who will be aimed at the Spring Champion Stakes en-route to the Victoria Derby. Cummings has indicated that he would have to re-think Drago’s Spring program.
Changes have also been made to the Princess Series with the Furious Stakes dropped from 1400m to 1200m and the Tea Rose moved from Rosehill to Randwick and dropped from 1500m to 1400m.
“The Spring Champion Stakes is now being run a week later to allow a four week gap between it and the Golden Rose,” said the ATC’s Matt Rudolph.
“This allows three-year-olds to run in both with a bridging run in between.
“The Spring Champion Stakes meeting will be at Randwick, giving the ATC three consecutive October Saturday’s at Randwick followed by two consecutive Saturday’s at Rosehill Gardens.”
ATC Spring Carnival feature race changes :
Chelmsford Stakes – Randwick, 7 September
Golden Rose – Rosehill, 14 September
George Main Stakes – Randwick, 21 September
Stan Fox / Golden Pendant – Rosehill, 28 September
Epsom Handicap / The Metropolitan / Flight Stakes – Randwick, October 5
Spring Champion Stakes – Randwick, October 12
City Tatt’s Cup – Randwick October 19
Princess Series
Silver Shadow Stakes 1200m – 28 August, Warwick Farm
Furious Stakes 1200m (previously 1400m)– 7 September, Randwick
Tea Rose Stakes 1400m (previously 1500m) – 21 September, Randwick
Flight Stakes 1600m – 5 October, Randwick
By Owens Wong
