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By Ray Hickson

Don’t give up on North England, there’s a real Slipper quality to Bellazaine and keep an eye on Farcited for the future – that’s co-trainer Adrian Bott’s summary as Tulloch Lodge eyes back-to-back wins in Saturday’s Group 1 $5m TAB Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill.

Trainer Adrian Bott (Pic: Grant Guy)

Unlike a year ago when Storm Boy dominated discussion on the Slipper, only to be upstaged by Lady Of Camelot, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have been a little under the radar.

At least since Golden Gift winner North England had a setback that meant he missed a crucial lead up run and finished unplaced in the Todman Stakes first-up.

Bott said it was hardly plan A but he’s confident they’ve been able to make up for some lost time.

“It hasn’t been a challenge by any means, we’ve had to adapt and change outside of what we originally set,’’ he said.

“It’s not been difficult, we haven’t changed our expectations for the outcome of the race.

“Going into that Todman he was well fancied in the Slipper market and drifted off the back of that but I wouldn’t condemn him on one run.

“The talent he’d shown was enough to have him well respected going into that race, there have been favourites beaten in that race that have bounced back in the Slipper.”

North England was on the second line of Slipper betting before he ran fifth, beaten 1-3/4 lengths by Tentyris, two weeks ago and Bott said it was hardly a failure.

Yet he’s now a $15 chance with TAB.

“It wasn’t the end result we wanted out of the race but in saying that the race didn’t unfold in the way we anticipated,’’ he said.

“I thought he was open to taking good improvement and it was a good tough run he probably needed to have.

“If you’re only going to have one run into the Slipper it gives him the right grounding to bring him on.”

The colt fared best of the Waterhouse/Bott trio in the Slipper in nine, while Bellazaine (15) and Farcited (17) are going to need a bit more luck.

Bott said the wider gate is less of an issue for Bellazaine who hasn’t raced since she was nailed on the line by Within The Law in the Sweet Embrace Stakes three weeks ago.

She’s since won a barrier trial with Bott preferring that as a lead up to running in last weekend’s Magic Night.

“She’s been faultless all the way through, she’s been in the right lead ups we wanted and we’ve seen everything we needed to see,’’ he said.

“She’s continued to step up every time we’ve raised the bar. She’s just a no nonsense straightforward tough style of filly.

“She may not have the natural brilliance of Lady Of Camelot but she’s very professional, she has a good desire to win. She’s a bigger sized filly compared to Lady Of Camelot, she’s built like the colts, so she has a good constitution to be handling whatever is thrown up at her race day.”

North England runs fifth in the Todman Stakes

Farcited, a son of Waterhouse & Bott’s 2020 Slipper winner Farnan, is being aimed at next month’s Inglis Sires’ but Bott said running in the Slipper is far from an afterthought.

He’s only had the two starts and was run down by King Of Pop in the Black Opal at Canberra.

“We’ll see the best of him once he gets out to (1400m),’’ Bott said.

“He’s still improving. Had he won the Black Open this would have been the path we’re on, his work hasn’t changed. He’s not there because he made the field, he’s a genuine chance.

“The other two have had more exposure and it counts for so much, Farcited is getting here on his first campaign.”

Lady Of Camelot was Waterhouse’s eighth win in the world’s richest race for two-year-olds and second in partnership with Bott.

All the fields, form and replays for Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill