The track at Royal Randwick Racecourse was downgraded to ‘heavy 8’ overnight and with more rain scheduled to fall in Sydney before Saturday it has thrown many horses chances at the Villiers Stakes Day race meeting into contention.

One horse who will brace the wet weather and definitely run is Rose Of Choice in the Group 2 Villiers Stakes (1600m). Being a former Perth mare, the five-year-old has never run on soft or heavy tracks but there’s no time to test her like the present according to co-trainer Paul Snowden.

“She’s been geared to run in this race and we have to find out at some stage if she’ll handle the wet ground,” Snowden told Racing Network on Friday morning.

“Being from Perth she’s never seen a wet track but this is as good a time as any to find out how she will go in it.”

Rose Of Choice is one of five single figure hopefuls in the Villiers Stakes betting market at Ladbrokes.com.au, paying $7 to win despite jumping wide from barrier 11.

Snowden decided to aim Rose Of Choice at the Villiers Stakes after a successful spring carnival left the mare wanting more.

Her first time racing outside of Perth was in the Group 3 Nivison (1200m) first up on October 18 when she finished in third place before scoring second place in the Group 3 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m) and fourth in the Group 3 Summoned Stakes (1500m).

After one week in the spelling paddock, Snowden brought the mare out for another go around.

“I know she had a few runs in Melbourne but I think she might be even a little better now than she was down there,” he said.

With a ballot-free entry into the $3 million Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) on April 4 on the cards for the Villiers Stakes winner, many trainers will be wary of scratching their horses from this Saturday’s action but the heavy track will definitely work against some.

Open your online betting account at Ladbrokes.com.au today to get in on this Saturday’s racing action at Randwick.