Irrespective of the result, the high-stakes environment of the Golden Slipper often exhausts juveniles, though Chris Waller reports that rising colt Campione D’italia has emerged unscathed.
“You wouldn’t know he’s had a run,” Waller said.
The young Snitzel gelding arguably shone brightest in the Golden Slipper with a powerful late charge from last to secure fourth, missing winner Guest House by a mere two lengths.
Prior to that, he had edged out rivals in the Skyline Stakes (1200m) via a strong finish from the back, pointing towards the 1400m of this Saturday’s Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes at Randwick being perfect.
“The Golden Slipper was only his third start in a race and he’s getting more tractable each time he runs,” Waller said.
“And he’s learning all the time. He’s coping really well with his racing.”
For the 14-horse Saturday feature, Campione D’Italia lands in stall three, but stablemate Fireball draws the challenging post 12.
In the Slipper, Fireball ran through the pack to midfield without mounting a serious challenge, yet Waller opined he resembled a horse bound for 1400m.
“He wasn’t beaten far and I thought he raced like a 1400 metre horse too,” he said.
Among the 14 Sires’ Produce Stakes entrants, five contested the juvenile triple crown opener, with the series continuing via the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick come April 18.
The other Slipper horses in the mix for the Sires’ consist of Streisand, Blue Diamond Stakes champion and Slipper silver medallist, Zambales (ninth) and Paradoxium (eleventh).
Discover competitive betting sites offering value in the Sires’ Produce Stakes markets.