After an eye-catching run in the Golden Slipper, the Kris Lees-trained Rivellino is set to get another chance at a Group 1 win during his juvenile season in the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes at Randwick.
Rivellino finished powerfully late in the Slipper to grab fourth, just under 2-1/2-lengths from the winner Marhoona, and Lees is looking forward to seeing how the talented colt fares when he steps up to 1400m on Saturday.
“I’m mindful he’s had a long preparation but with that said, his runs up until now have been spaced by three weeks or more,” Lees said.
“He’s always given an indication he’d be comfortable at 1400 metres, which he finds (on Saturday) and from what I’ve seen of him at home, I don’t think a wet track will have any negative effect either. So I’m looking forward to Saturday.”
Lees said Rivellino had come through his Slipper run in good order and he had also been buoyed by Hong Kong-based Australian jockey Hugh Bowman’s keenness to fly back to ride the colt again in the Sires’.
“He was adamant he wanted to come back and ride him again, so that will do me,” Lees said.
The Golden Slipper was the first time in four career starts that Rivellino had tasted defeat.
The colt by Too Darn Hot made a winning debut at Randwick over 1000m on January 4 before taking out the $2 million Inglis Millennium (1100m) at the same track the following month.
He booked his spot in the Slipper with victory in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) and Lees felt the colt’s run in the juvenile showpiece at Rosehill also indicated the 1400m of the Sires’ should suit him.
“He ran really well,” Lees said of Rivellino’s Golden Slipper performance.
“I wouldn’t say he was a good thing beaten, but things probably just didn’t go his way.
“I think you could make a case that he could have been right in the finish.”
Lees said Rivellino missed the start slightly then couldn’t muster speed to get into the position they had hoped, which had him back in the field and behind all the eventual placegetters in the run.
“They were all in a line at one stage so we were the last one to get the run, which was always going to be the case,” he said.
“He’s going to get a small field in the Sires’. He hasn’t got brilliant gate speed, if he’s got an Achillies’ heel, so a small field probably negates that.”
