It’s a yes to the Golden Slipper for trainer Chris Waller who has his best chance yet after the Todman Stakes at Randwick.
Yes Yes Yes, a colt having his first start for Sydney’s leading trainer on Saturday after coming to the stable when the disqualified Darren Weir’s horses were dispersed, is now $6 equal favourite in Golden Slipper odds with Reisling Stakes winner Tenley.
Ridden by Blake Shinn, Yes Yes Yes ($4.40) stalked the the field before gathering his rivals in down the straight to beat the leader Bellevue Hill ($4.40) by a half length with Dubious ($7.50) another three-quarters of a length third.
Favourite Time To Reign ($2.90) ran sixth and never looked the likely winner.
Waller has had few Golden Slipper runners in the past but has a ready-made contender in Yes Yes Yes.
“It’s good to be able to take over a horse like this with prize money in the bank for the Slipper,” Waller said.
“We’ve had him for a number of weeks now,. We picked out this race and full credit to the team where he has come from, they’d done a good job educating him well.”
Waller said he would not have to do too much with Yes Yes Yes in the next couple of weeks leading to the Slipper.
“I don’t have to make him run faster,” he said.
“I think he’ll come through the race pretty well the way the race was run.”
Time To Reign was briefly favourite for the Slipper on Saturday morning after Godolphin colt Tassort was withdrawn with a hoof problem.
His trainer Gary Portelli could not hide his disappointment.
“I’m as stunned as anyone,” he said.
The colt’s jockey Jason Collett said Time To Reign did not pick up as he expected.
“He just didn’t have the turn of foot when they sprinted,” Collett said.
