The previous Golden Slipper market leader Hidrix receives blinkers and retains top jockey James McDonald for his Randwick Todman Stakes mission.
McDonald had been on Confederation, Hidrix’s barnmate, for victories in the Canonbury Stakes (1100m) by Hidrix and the Silver Slipper (1100m); Saturday sees him debut atop Hidrix in competitive action, Confederation notwithstanding.
“There’s not too much to read into it in terms of James,” trainer Chris Waller’s assistant, Charlie Duckworth said.
“He has ridden Confederation twice and knows the horse well. We want to afford James the best opportunity to ride our best opportunity in the Slipper, so it’s probably important he rides Hidrix.
“He galloped him on Tuesday with the blinkers on and he worked really well.
“The horse is good, jockey is good, just the draw is the negative.”
Barrier nine of 11 falls to Hidrix, Confederation getting the berth directly outward after scratching from Canberra’s Black Opal Stakes (1200m) Sunday.
Exempt from pressure in the Todman Stakes (1200m) thanks to Golden Slipper field entry, the team experiments freely with blinkers.
“They’re just to help sharpen him up a little bit,” he said of the blinkers.
“Slippers aren’t easy to win, and we want him to have that killer punch. Ultimately, we’d rather have it work out now than working it out in the grand final.”
McDonald rides Chayan for owners Annabel and Rob Archibald in the 1200m Reisling Stakes; after Melbourne sojourns – second Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude (1100m), seventh wide in Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) – she returns.
“She just couldn’t draw a barrier at either start,” Annabel Archibald said.
“First start, she was very good, but she was just no hope with the run she had in the Diamond.
“With two-year-olds, it’s always one run at a time and that was a pretty tough run she had . . . but she seems to have come through it pretty well.”
Gate nine challenges Chayan, yet she probes Melbourne two-year-old lines post Stretan Ruler’s Silver Slipper rout from Pakenham weeks ago.
The Todman Stakes caps Stretan Ruler’s Golden Slipper lead-up; he’s second pick behind Paradoxium of Wyong Magic Millions fame.
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