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By Ray Hickson

It came as no surprise to jockey Regan Bayliss that lightly raced galloper Sly Boots made a positive return to racing and he’s keen to build on it when they reunite at Randwick on Saturday.

Bayliss partnered the four-year-old in both his trials but was lured to Brisbane with a Group 1 ride when Sly Boots resumed at Rosehill two weeks ago with a run the jockey took particular note of.

He was beaten under a length by Puntin, who opposes him again in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1600m), and Bayliss expects he’ll have benefited greatly from the hitout.

“Both his trials this preparation really impressed me and I knew he was on target to have a good preparation. His first-up run suggested that,’’ he said.

“He would have taken improvement from that and I think the mile is his pet trip. Or it will be this preparation.”

Sly Boots, $8 with TAB on Friday, ran the second fastest last 600m of 33.70 (Punter’s Intelligence) when finishing fifth in the 1400m event fresh.

The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained gelding won second-up last preparation and Bayliss said another handy draw gives him his chance to consolidate on that promising return.

“He’s drawn soft and there looks good speed in the race, it should set up nicely for him,’’ he said.

“It’s a really competitive race, there’s four or five horses you can easily make a case for and a lot of horses in good form. He’s on an upward trajectory this preparation and he’d be near on peaking.”

Sly Boots runs fifth at Rosehill on June 28

Tomato Toastie is another horse Bayliss trialled but will ride for the first time this campaign in the Schweppes Handicap (1400m).

He gave the filly a spin in her second trial prior to her debut and said the improvement she showed going into her win earlier this month was pleasing to see.

“It was a very impressive win the other day on that heavy ground,’’ he said.

“The last 150m she shot clear and put paid to her rivals which suggests 1400m won’t be an issue.

“With that good race experience, with two runs under her belt, up to 1400m on her home track she will be in the finish for sure.”

Stablemate Fully Lit backs up after looking a little plain on the surface at Rosehill last week though Bayliss said he’s prepared to forgive the three-year-old.

It was his third run at 1200m after coming off a 14 month absence and Bayliss wants to see him up in distance in the TAB Handicap (1400m) before making any judgments.

“I think this preparation he’s felt more like a seven furlong horse,’’ he said.

“There was really good speed in that race last week and he was at his top most of the race, and probably didn’t have a clear crack at them the last 100m.

“I like him stepping to 1400m, he should get his chance and it will tell us where he’s at.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting