A delay nobody wanted could aid Kiwi galloper The Chosen One in tomorrow's A$1.5 million Tancred Stakes in Newcastle.
The Group 1 race and six others which were supposed to be staged at Rosehill on Saturday were transferred to Newcastle tomorrow when the Rosehill meeting was abandoned after three racesbecause of torrential rain.
NSW racing bosses opted to transfer the remainder of the meeting to enable horses using the A$200,000 Tulloch Stakes as a lead-up to the ATC Derby to still have the option to start in both, with the Derby at Randwick this Saturday.
That will likely be the case for Cambridge gallopers White Noise and Regal Lion, stablemates of The Chosen One who contests the far richer Tancred.
Their co-trainer Andrew Forsman was at Rosehill on Saturday and says the right decision was made not only on the day but with the Newcastle move.
"It rained pretty hard and there was surface water on the track and I think everybody realised we couldn't race on," says Forsman.
"So that decision was pretty easy but then Racing NSW had to decide how to fit this meeting in and, considering their other main option was putting the entire carnival back a week, I think they made the right decision.
"Maybe heading to Newcastle on Monday, racing and then backing up in the Derby on Saturday isn't ideal but horses have done similar things before and it is not like every horse heading to Newcastle is trying to back up on Saturday."
The move to Newcastle also sees the Tulloch reduced from 2000m to 1850m but likely to be run on a track not quite as waterlogged.
"It is hard to work out what to expect as it has not really stopped raining here," says Forsman.
"But a slightly better track will probably help our two three-year-olds and would definitely help The Chosen One."
The Chosen One still meets the first three home from the Australian Cup two weeks ago in the Tancred but has the services of Hugh Bowman for his race which will now be run at 6.40pm.
The two-day delay will not affect the rest of his campaign with his main aim the Sydney Cup on the second day of The Championships on April 9, which could even be his last race before retiring to stud.
It will also be the last shot at Group 1 glory for Forsman's training partner Murray Baker, who stayed home over the weekend to look after the local team but hopes to get to Sydney for the Cup in 12 days.
