Despite back-to-back defeats, Wodeton remains at the top of the Golden Slipper betting, but trainer Chris Waller has decided to make key adjustments heading into Saturday’s race at Rosehill.

For the first time, Wodeton will race with winkers, and Waller has instructed his jockey to ride the colt more patiently than in his last outing, where he finished second in the Todman Stakes.

Waller felt Wodeton lacked his usual acceleration after sitting just behind the speed in the Todman and believes a more conservative approach could help him unleash a stronger finish.

“When it was time for him to quicken, he didn’t quite have it,” Waller said.

“Now that he has had three starts, we’ve learned that he’ll benefit from being ridden a bit more quietly. If we take a hold of him early, he should be able to finish off strongly.

“We’ve practiced this approach in a couple of track gallops, and he has responded well.”

To complement this strategy, Waller has opted for winkers instead of blinkers, ensuring Wodeton remains focused without becoming overly keen early in the race.

“It’s mainly to keep his concentration up, especially in the second half of the race,” he said.

“We want him to settle early, which is why we’re using winkers instead of blinkers, and then he can really focus in the last 400m.”

Trainer Bjorn Baker is keeping things simple with filly Within The Law, who has won three of her four career starts, including a late-charging victory in the Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m).

Despite drawing barrier 13, Baker is confident that her laid-back nature will allow jockey Jason Collett to drop her back and let her finish off strongly.

“I trained O’Ole for the Magic Millions, and she was electric from the start. Within The Law is the complete opposite—she’s incredibly relaxed,” Baker said.

“She’s calm every morning in trackwork, only does what’s asked of her, and I think that’s a big advantage in a high-pressure race like the Slipper.”

If there’s an upset brewing, trainer Peter Snowden is hoping it comes from Quietly Arrogant, who finished an unlucky third in the Skyline Stakes (1200m), where he was behind unbeaten colt Rivellino and subsequent Pago Pago Stakes winner Skyhook.

The son of 2016 Golden Slipper winner Capitalist has had a three-week break leading into Saturday and has been showing strong form in trackwork.

“He really thrives with time between runs,” Snowden said.

“He won first-up at the Gold Coast, then had a 45-day freshen-up before the Magic Millions, where he ran a huge race first-up.

“He’s got an impressive turn of foot, and in what looks like an open field, that could take him a long way.”