Godolphin two year olds Alizee and Coruscate will be cashing last minute call ups for the Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 18 when they step out at Rosehill on Saturday.
Coruscate, above in royal blue colours, runs second to Diamond Tathagata in the Skyline Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Alizee will race against the fillies in the Group 3 $175,000 Chandon S Magic Night Stakes (1200m) and Coruscate will be joined by stablemate Schubert to take on the colts and geldings in the Group 3 $175,000 Cafe Culture + Insitu Pago Pago Stakes (1200m).
Trainer John O’Shea is hoping for an improved performance from Alizee who was a beaten odds on favourite on debut when fourth in a 1000m 2yo Maiden at Randwick on February 15.
O’Shea gave Alizee another barrier trial for a win over 900m at Rosehill on February 27 and he is hoping that she can replicate that effort when she steps out at Rosehill on the weekend.
“Alizee had a very unfortunate first-up run so I took her back to the trials just to build some confidence,” O’Shea said.
“She’s an extremely talented filly and if she was to get a nice run, and if she ran up to her work, she’d be extremely competitive.”
English jockey William Buick has arrived in Sydney to replace the injured James Doyle and will be aboard Alizee who has drawn nicely at barrier four in the capacity sixteen horse field.
Coruscate was a winner on debut in an 1100m Canterbury 2yo Maiden on February 3 and then was beaten a neck on a heavy track when second to Diamond Tathagata in the Group 2 $200,000 Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on February 25.
The Exceed And Excel colt has drawn barrier eight in the twelve horse field with Buick in the saddle and a win in the Pago Pago Stakes will see him force his way into the final field for the Golden Slipper.
“He was on a very heavy track at Randwick at his last start and I thought he was a little bit eager coming up over the rise,” O’Shea said.
“He’s back to a firmer surface on Saturday and his work’s been exceptional for a race of this calibre.”
Schubert is in the same position and has drawn barrier one with Kerrin McEvoy booked to ride.
Alizee is included among the top chances for the Magic Night Stakes with Ladbrokes.com.au listing her on the fourth line of betting at $6.50 behind $3.40 favourite Limbo Soul, Sweet Deal at $5 and the Lindsay Park trained Tulip at $5.50.
Coruscate is also considered to be one of the main chances in the Pago Pago Stakes and is on the second line of betting at $6.50 with the Gary Portelli trained Single Bullet while Ducimus and Condor Heroes share the favourite spot at $3.60.
