A juvenile who can handle a high-pressure race is just what a trainer needs where Golden Slipper aspirations are concerned and Kris Lees believes Rivellino can stack up in three weeks’ time after maintaining his perfected record at Randwick, and provided Jason Collett with the two-year-old double on the day.
Winning over 1000-metres, then 1100m, and now over 1200m in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes, the colt by Too Darn Hot firmed into $15 for the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 22.
“He’s a proper horse, this bloke,” Lees said of the colt who took out the $2 million Inglis Millennium (1100m) on February 8.
“We look forward to getting there (to the Golden Slipper). He’s pretty versatile and I think on a really hot speed you’ll see a better product again.
“He got a lovely ride from Jason to let him stride up into a three-deep line and that was a winning move off what, without looking at the times, looked a pretty even type of race on times.
“He let him stride into the race at the right time and that was the winning move but he fought off a few late. It was a good effort.”
Rivellino ($5.50) won by a head-margin over the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Skyhook ($9), the unlucky runner of the event was Quietly Arrogant ($7.50) a further head away in third.
In the Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) for fillies, Within The Law ($5.50) – who was second placed in the Millennium behind Rivellino – finished strongly from a rearward position to win and cement her position in the Slipper.
Trainer Bjorn Baker forecast that Jason Collett would take a position off the pace and then make a late run in a result where race favourite Bellazaine ($3.60) was nabbed on the line by a nose-margin.
Within The Law from $15 into $11 for the Golden Slipper after this win.
