A gear change and conservative ride almost delivered Wodeton a Golden Slipper and trainer Chris Waller sees no reason to deviate from that formula.
Sporting winkers for the first time and allowed to find his feet in the early stages of the two-year-old showcase, the colt stormed to the line to just miss behind Marhoona.
Waller has kept the gear on and is again keen to see Wodeton ridden quietly when internationally acclaimed jockey Ryan Moore takes over from James Mcdonald in Saturday’s Group 1 ATC Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.
Coolmore’s main man in Europe, Ryan has been called in due to McDonald’s commitments with Romantic Warrior in Dubai and will be looking to deliver the global conglomerate another juvenile feature after steering their valuable colt Shinzo to victory in the 2023 Golden Slipper.
Waller admitted that while holding a two-year-old together following a peak run could be a juggling act, Wodeton appeared to have coped exceptionally well.
“You don’t have to overtrain them after their grand final,” Waller said
“He’s a colt, he’s a young horse. He’s thriving.
“He has come through the Slipper really well and the 1400 will be no problem.”
Wodeton is one of five Randwick rides for Moore, who also partners Switzerland for Coolmore in the TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) and Desert Hero for William Haggas in the Chairman’s Quality (2600m).
For trainers David Brideoake and Matt Laurie, family bragging rights will be up for grabs in the Sires’ when they saddle rival runners.
Brideoake, who is Laurie’s father-in-law, will start Prestige Forever while Laurie has undefeated colt Vinrock.
Both arrive in Sydney well-credentialled, Prestige Forever as a Listed Moonee Valley winner, while Vinrock has claimed the VRC’s equivalent of the Sires’ Produce Stakes at Flemington.
Bookmakers are respecting the pair, Vinrock at $4.60 and Prestige Forever at $11 with Brideoake saying the latter continues to lift the bar.
“I’ve got a gut feeling he is a really good horse,” Brideoake said.
“You can’t give much of a diagnosis in two races but the way he keeps improving post-race, he is a promising horse.”
