Talented youngster Sidestep revived his Golden Slipper hopes with a dominant Pago Pago Stakes win but trainer Peter Snowden is in no rush to declare the colt a starter in the $3.5 million race.
Snowden was forced to run Sidestep in the final qualifying race on Saturday at Rosehill after the colt dumped jockey Corey Brown at the start of last week’s Todman Stakes.
Sidestep winning the Pago Pago Stakes - Photo by Steve Hart
The heavily-backed Sidestep, who started a $2.10 favourite, got a little lost on the home turn in the Group Two Pago Pago but put his rivals away in strong fashion over the final 100m to defeat Dothraki ($4.60) by 1-1/4 lengths with Fuerza ($9.50) another 2-1/4 lengths away third.
The Darley team already has Guelph and Kuroshio in next Saturday’s Golden Slipper but Snowden is reserving judgment about having a third runner.
“It sounds the obvious choice to go to the Slipper next week but we’ve got to think about the longevity of the horse as well,” Snowden said.
“Backing up this week wasn’t on the menu so he’s going to have to pull up very well which he probably will. He’s a tough horse.”
Snowden said he would look to a gear change of either winkers or blinkers if a decision is made to run the colt in the Golden Slipper.
“He’s still immature, he’s still new and does things wrong which is a bit of a concern. And I still think he wants headgear on to make him concentrate.
“It was only the last 150 metres that he knuckled down, but he’s dead-set got good, true ability and whether it’s going to come next week or later on we’re going to have to have a talk about it.”
Sidestep’s winning time of 1:10.49 for the 1200m was almost 0.69sec faster than the Magic Night Stakes for fillies which was won by Scandiva.
Gerald Ryan, trainer of Dothraki said the colt and stablemate Charlie Boy would run in the Slipper should they both get in.
Dothraki is assured a start at 16th in order of entry with Charlie Boy 17th and needing one above him not to accept.
“Anything can happen with two-year-olds but realistically Gai’s filly (Overreach) is the one to beat,” Ryan said.
Snowden also said the Gai Waterhouse-trained favourite Overreach was the Golden Slipper benchmark horse.
