Randwick trainer John O’Shea is looking to secure more Golden Slipper berths with Faustus and Shelford contesting the Group 2 $300,000 Spotless Todman Slipper Trial (1200m) at Rosehill tomorrow.
O’Shea already has one definite starter in the Group 1 $3.5m AAMI Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill in two weeks with Ashokan after he took out the Group 3 $125,000 Hyland Race Colours Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Randwick last Saturday.
Ashokan with Jim Cassidy aboard upset short priced favourite Raceway with a fighting win to gain a spot in the Slipper and O’Shea has another two good chances of forcing their way into the final field.
Faustus has a first up win in at Rosehill back in November and a last start second to the Peter Snowden trained Epaulette in the Listed $250,000 Kamberra Wine Company Black Opal Stakes (1200m) at Canberra on March 11.
“I haven’t overly taxed him. I’ll be happy enough to get him to the Slipper and have him ready on the day,” O’Shea said.
“He’s a very progressive horse and a big tough bugger and I’m happy with the way he is going.”
The More Than Ready colt is a $17 chance in the Slipper at the moment and if he could cause an upset tomorrow would climb up the betting order.
O’Shea’s other Todman runner Shelford is yet to win but did push short priced favourite Raceway to the limit when second in the Listed $100,000 Sharp Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Warwick Farm on February 18.
Todman Slipper favourite Pierro has improved since his first up win in the Group 2 $200,000 Patinack Farm Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on March 3 according to jockey Nash Rawiller.
“There is a lot of improvement to come, he’s a big horse but he was quite big in condition and had a good blow after the race,” he said.
“He was slow away so that made it a bit awkward for us but he got a good run in transit.”
“He still had to overcome being first up on a wet track so that was very promising going forward.”
Pierro is $6.50 in Slipper betting behind the unbeaten filly Samaready at $3.10 who will contest the Group 2 $300,000 Jacobs Creek Reisling Slipper Trial (1200m) tomorrow.
