A gear change and a conservative ride almost saw Wodeton claim a Golden Slipper, and trainer Chris Waller sees no reason to change that approach.
Equipped with winkers for the first time, Wodeton settled early in the two-year-old race before charging home to narrowly miss behind Marhoona.
Waller has kept the gear on and is again eager to see the colt ridden quietly when Ryan Moore takes over from James McDonald in Saturday’s Group 1 ATC Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.
Moore, Coolmore’s leading European jockey, steps in due to McDonald’s Dubai commitments with Romantic Warrior. He’ll aim to add another win for the global brand after guiding Shinzo to victory in the 2023 Golden Slipper.
Waller acknowledged the challenge of keeping a two-year-old intact after a peak performance, but Wodeton has handled the transition well.
“You don’t have to overtrain them after their grand final,” Waller said. “He’s a colt, he’s a young horse. He’s thriving. He has come through the Slipper really well, and the 1400 will be no problem.”
Moore also has four other rides at Randwick, including Switzerland in the TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) and Desert Hero in the Chairman’s Quality (2600m).
In the Sires’ Produce Stakes, trainers David Brideoake and Matt Laurie will compete for family bragging rights, with Brideoake’s Prestige Forever and Laurie’s unbeaten Vinrock both well-regarded.
Prestige Forever has won a Listed Moonee Valley race, while Vinrock triumphed in Flemington’s equivalent to the Sires’ Produce Stakes. Vinrock is priced at $4.60, with Prestige Forever at $11.
Brideoake is confident his horse will continue improving. “I’ve got a gut feeling he is a really good horse,” he said. “He is a promising horse.”