Firming favourite Cosmic Force continues to show improvement in the countdown to 2019 Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Cosmic Force, above, has shown signs of improvement heading into the 2019 Golden Slipper at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
Cosmic Force burst into Golden Slipper calculation with a stunning seven and a quarter lengths win on a heavy track in last Saturday’s Group 3 $175,000 Bowermans Office Furniture Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.
The Peter and Paul Snowden trained Cosmic Force was elevated to the top of the Golden Slipper betting at Ladbrokes.com.au and on race eve is the firming $4.50 favourite.
Co-trainer Paul Snowden said in his Racenet Column that Cosmic Force has come through his Pago Pago Stakes win in great order and the prospect of a another rain affected track would be in his favour.
“If anything, he seems to have improved since last week and everything is spot on from our point-of-view. And any rain, as we now know won’t harm his chances,” Paul Snowden wrote.
“We were certainly upbeat about his chances last time but couldn’t have envisaged him winning so easily so it was a pleasing result.
“But let’s not kid ourselves, this is going to be a much tougher assignment, a completely different race but I can assure everyone that the horse has bounced back in very good order from the run and we couldn’t be happier with him.
“Both dad and I have studied him very closely all week, looking for anything out of the ordinary, but I must say he’s perfect. He’s a good doer, is tough but relaxed and he just takes it all in his stride.”
Melbourne based jockey Mark Zahra has picked up the ride on Cosmic Force in the Golden Slipper, replacing Pago Pago Stakes winning jockey James McDonald who was committed to riding the James Cummings trained filly Tenley.
Zahra will get every chance to give Cosmic Force the run of the race from barrier two in the sixteen horse field.
Team Snowden could have a possible four runners in the Golden Slipper with the fillies Anaheed ($20) and Catch Me ($34) in the field while Rome ($81) has been listed as the second emergency.
The James Cummings trained Tenley at $6 and Microphone at $6.50 are the next two in the betting behind Cosmic Force while the Chris Waller trained Yes Yes Yes is the only other runner under the $10 mark at $8.
