Gai Waterhouse’s undefeated two year old Vancouver will have his final Golden Slipper hit out in the Group 2 $300,000 Todman Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 7.
Vancouver was scheduled to run on Saturday in the Group 2 $250,000 Blackwoods Uvex Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill but a change of plans will see the Medaglia D’Oro colt barrier trial on Monday at Randwick.
“He’ll now have a barrier trial at Randwick on Monday,” Tulloch Lodge spokesman Mark Newnham told AAP.
Vancouver is currently the $7 equal favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 21.
The other Golden Slipper equal favourite Ottoman (by Exceed and Excel) gets her chance to push clear of Vancouver in the market order while Headwater (also by Exceed and Excel), Paceman and Holler will all have their opportunity to boost their
chances for the richest two year old race in the world.
Vancouver has raced twice for a debut win in October taking out the Listed $100,000 NSW Thoroughbred Breeders’ Plate (1000m) at Randwick and then resumed in the Autumn to win the Group 3 $150,000 Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on January 31.
Waterhouse decided to give the colt an extra two weeks to get over that run and will now head to the Golden Slipper with only one more outing in the Todman Stakes.
“The Golden Slipper is still a month away and as Gai said to me ‘it’s all about the timing’ and that’s why she thinks the Todman Stakes is a better fit,” Newham said.