An early morning track inspection on Saturday will determine the fate of the Winter Cup meeting at Rosehill.Rosehill was rated a heavy (9) and safe for racing on Friday afternoon, however track manager Lindsay Murphy said he would be joined by deputy chairman of stewards Marc Van Gestel for another inspection at 5.45am (AEST) on Saturday as more showers were expected overnight."I looked at the track at 2.30 this afternoon and there was no (surface) water on it and everything was okay," Murphy sa
An early morning track inspection on Saturday will determine the fate of the Winter Cup meeting at Rosehill.
Rosehill was rated a heavy (9) and safe for racing on Friday afternoon, however track manager Lindsay Murphy said he would be joined by deputy chairman of stewards Marc Van Gestel for another inspection at 5.45am (AEST) on Saturday as more showers were expected overnight.
"I looked at the track at 2.30 this afternoon and there was no (surface) water on it and everything was okay," Murphy said on Friday afternoon.
"We had 41 mils of rain overnight and then up until 2.30 (Friday afternoon) there was another 23 mils."
The heavy conditions prompted trainer Patrick Payne to float new stable acquisition Sparking to Sydney from Victoria to run in the Listed Winter Cup (2400m).
Sparking was also entered for heat two of the Banjo Paterson Series (2500m) at Flemington but being a noted mudlark Payne decided the Winter Cup was the better option.
Sparking only arrived in Payne's care a couple of weeks ago after being sent across the Tasman by former trainer Kevin Myers to race through the Australian winter.
The seven-year-old's performance in the Winter Cup could determine whether the gelding continues on the flat or switches to jumping.
Sparking's wet track record is something to sit up and take notice of.
The son of Montjeu has started 20 times in heavy conditions in New Zealand for seven wins and a further seven placings.
His most recent start in New Zealand on May 15 saw the gelding defeat Solid Billing in a 2000m Open Handicap on a heavy (10).
Solid Billing was well beaten in the Premier's Cup in Brisbane last weekend but he did win the Group Three Summer Cup (2400m) at Randwick on Boxing Day last year.
"He's a real little mudlark, and that's why we've come up to Sydney," Payne said of Sparking.
Interestingly, Sparking is yet to race over further than 2000m but Payne sent him around in a 2800m jumps trial at Pakenham on May 28 and has no concerns about the Winter Cup distance.
"He's got plenty of stamina," the trainer said.
"I'd be amazed if he can't stay."
Payne said Sparking's agility was something which obviously helped him get through the wet, however the trainer revealed he wasn't overly impressed when he first set eyes on the seven-year-old.
"When I first saw him I thought he was just a scrungy little thing, but when you get on his back he's got this inner strength and a really good action," the trainer said.
"He's nothing to look at but a lot better to ride."
The Michael Kent-trained Zoomin, who was early favourite for the Winter Cup, was scratched on Friday.
Rain in NSW also forced Friday's Hawkesbury meeting to be abandoned and race meetings at Newcastle and Coffs Harbour on Saturday have also been casualties of the wet weather with Newcastle abandoned and Coffs Harbour postponed.