If you are invested in solving the puzzle of this year’s the Golden Slipper, you would have had a keen interest in the trials at Rosehill this morning with a number of potential runners given tune up outings.
Last seen running second in the Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes was the Danny O’Brien trained Street Boss (USA) colt Closer to Free, who was having his first look around Rosehill and he obviously liked what he saw.
He mustered quickly from the gates to take the lead for Jamie Melham and cruised along under a hold to win the 1030m heat by a length and a half over Inglis Millennium winner Fireball, who was sporting blinkers for the first time with J-Mac on board.
The Chris Waller trained Fireball has come from off the pace in this first two starts, but might be expected to take a closer position with the blinkers on if he draws a favourable gate for the Slipper.
Connections of Closer to Free will have to pay a late entry to put him in the Slipper and based on this trial you would think that was a formality.
Fireball’s stablemate Campione D’Italia, who won the Group II ATC Skyline Stakes as a long shot, was given a quiet trial here in a 900m heat won by Moscow Maid from the stable of Team Hawkes.
Moscow Maid was having her second trial and led all the way to win by more than two lengths over Lafite, the full brother to G1 winner Schwarz that looks nothing like him.
Campione D’Italia was given a lesson in relax and find the line by Damian Lane and worked home nicely under a hold from a clear last on the turn.
Another Golden Slipper contender Shiki went around in the next heat won by the Chris Waller trained Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Vatican.
The Waterhouse / Bott trained Shiki was last seen finishing fifth in the G2 Silver Slipper won by Stretan Ruler and no doubt gave Rachel King a good feel, settling nicely with cover behind the leaders before surging to the line for second while Vatican raced through on the inside to win with ears pricked.
Additional 2YO heat was won by Getsmybloodrussian (Russian Revolution).
Click here for all the trials at Breednet with Sale Mail and at Racing NSW with video.
