Racing New South Wales have been quick out of the barriers however to come up with a contingency plan which will see all remaining events in the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival run 7 days later.
The Australian Turf Club and Racing NSW announced the change in a joint statement in which it said that “all meetings that form part of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival will be run a week later than scheduled”.
"The postponement of the Golden Slipper meeting is unfortunate, but in the circumstances both the ATC and Racing NSW feel that resetting the Carnival one week later is the best overall option for participants and the flow of the Carnival," Racing NSW Chief Executive Mr Peter V’landys AM said in the statement.
The $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper barrier draw and final field will remain the same for the coming week as a result however all other races will be reopened for entries on Monday with acceptances taken on Wednesday as is the standard practice.
Golden Slipper day is one of the jewels of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and it won’t come as a surprise that Racing NSW have decided to reshuffle the calendar to make sure it gets a primary racing day.
It is just the second time the Golden Slipper has been postponed from its original date due to wet conditions. The seventh edition of the Golden Slipper won by Pago Pago in 1963 was held on a Wednesday afternoon.
The revised dates for the Sydney Autumn Carnival are listed below.
Saturday, March 27: Golden Slipper Day
Saturday, April 3: Tancred Stakes Day
Saturday, April 10: The Championships Day 1
Saturday, April 17: The Championships Day 2
Saturday, April 24: All Aged Stakes Day