Godolphin may have lost its No.1 seed for the Golden Slipper but still has plenty of ammunition with Tenley confirming she is on target with victory in the Reisling Stakes at Randwick.
Long-time Golden Slipper 2019 favourite Tassort has been ruled out for the rest of autumn after failing to recover sufficiently from a bruised hoof which kept him out of Saturday’s Todman Stakes.
Trainer James Cummings was smiling again after Tenley ($3.50 fav) came from back in the field to win the fillies qualifying race on Saturday by 1-1/2 lengths from her Magic Millions-winning stablemate Exhilarates ($4.40).
Brisbane filly Vincere Volare ($7), was another half length third after setting the early pace.
“Tenley has just improved out of sight like you would not believe,” Cummings said.
“Since she has gotten to the stable she has just been flying. She hasn’t let us down and improved and improved.
“She is a pretty serious filly.”
Tenley remains unbeaten from three starts while Exhilarates now has two wins and three seconds from her six races.
“Exhilarates was very very good off a break,” Cummings said.
“Having not raced since January it is perfect for her. She has a little touch of the Capitalist about her two weeks out from the Slipper ready to bounce back to her very best.”
The 2016 Magic Millions winner, the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Capitalist was beaten in the Todman before going on to win the Slipper.
Cummings’ outlook on having to spell Tassort was philosophical.
“To be honest I’ve got 200 horses in great shape and I have one horse who has to go to the paddock,” he said.
“It’s not a bad position to be in.”
