Star colt Storm Boy will be at home in his box this weekend, but the result of the Todman Stakes at Randwick is set to reveal the horse who will pose his biggest Golden Slipper threat.
Among the 10 Todman Stakes (1200m) runners are the next three horses in Slipper betting – Storm Boy’s stablemates Straight Charge and Espionage, and Chris Waller’s undefeated colt Switzerland.
Also lining up will be Shangri La Express and Bodyguard, both prominent in Golden Slipper markets.
Whoever comes out on top is likely to be a clear Golden Slipper second pick and Tulloch Lodge co-trainer Adrain Bott is hoping it is one of his trio of runners – Silver Slipper winner Straight Charge, Breeders’ Plate victor Espionage and last start Pierro Plate runner-up Shangri La Express.
The three had mixed luck at the draw, Straight Charge and Shangri La Express coming up with barriers one and two respectively, while Espionage will have to overcome the outside gate.
Bott says all have improved from their first-up runs and get an opportunity to showcase their Slipper credentials.
“Straight Charge has done well and he’s got the nice draw to utilise his tactical speed,” Bott said.
“Shangri La Express has come on really well since his first-up run. The three weeks has given him that extra time to take the improvement that he needed. He was vulnerable first-up, but he ran very well.
“Espionage, he’s going to need a bit of luck, but that draw might not be bad for him. He has done very well, he didn’t quite have the conditions to suit first-up and he’ll improve nicely.”
While much of the focus has been on their current crop of two-year-olds, Bott is also looking forward to the return of one of their better juveniles from last season.
Red Resistance hasn’t raced since finishing runner-up to Cylinder in last year’s Todman Stakes after succumbing to a virus on the eve of the 2023 Golden Slipper.
He didn’t come up in the spring and was sent back to the paddock without racing, but Bott is happier with the three-year-old ahead of his first-up assignment in the Listed The Fireball (1100m).
“Much happier, he has trialled up really well,” Bott said.
“He’s nice and forward for Saturday’s run and I’m looking forward to seeing him back.
“He could potentially go through to The Galaxy if things go well.”