Latest News

By Ray Hickson

If boom colt Wodeton finishes first or second in the Group 2 $300,000 Darley Todman Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday he’ll confirm his place as Golden Slipper favourite.

Trainer Chris Waller (Pic: Grant Guy)

If he doesn’t, as he sits 24th on the order of entry, he’ll likely not make the field for the $5 million race that he’s topped the betting for since his debut.

That’s the reality for trainer Chris Waller who says he’s been solely focused on having the $1.6 million colt at his peak for March 22.

“I’m not running him to qualify him I’m running him to prepare him for the Golden Slipper,’’ Waller said.

“If he doesn’t win or run second he wouldn’t be going to the Golden Slipper.

“The 1200m will suit, he just got caught wide (in the Silver Slipper) and posted with no cover yet was still strong over the last 200m.”

Wodeton, $2.30 with TAB on Wednesday, had a five week gap between his impressive debut win and the Silver Slipper two weeks ago.

While beaten into third at Rosehill, Wodeton ran the fastest last 600m of 33.49 (Punter’s Intelligence) and covered significantly more ground than Beiwacht and West Of Swindon in front of him.

Waller said the colt couldn’t have done any more under the circumstances after he was left in no man’s land from a wide gate.

But in the context of a Golden Slipper preparation he said it was an important run for Wodeton, not only from a timing point of view but a seasoning one.

“He’s come through it really well, he’s such a professional horse and a good horse,’’ he said.

“You wouldn’t know he’s had a run. The whole idea of running (in the Silver Slipper) was to give him three runs going into the Slipper.

“Just for a little bit of experience and whether he won or not it was an experience.

“He was exposed three deep, he was out of his comfort zone covering extra ground on a tight turning track and that’s what you can get in the Slipper.”

James McDonald returns to the saddle on Wodeton in the Todman and he’s drawn barrier five.

Meanwhile, Waller is under no illusions about the task facing Aeliana in the Group 1 $1m The Agency Randwick Guineas (1600m) but took heart from her first-up run showing that she’s in the game.

She did beat the boys, including Australian Guineas winner Feroce, in the Carbine Club Stakes in the spring prior to her luckless Thousand Guineas second placing and Waller said he was pleased with her third behind Broadsiding two weeks ago.

“She’s come through her run really well,’’ he said.

“She’s a stronger horse than she was in the spring. I’m not saying she can beat Broadsiding, or the second horse that ran well the other day, but she will be in the finish.”

Wodeton runs third in the Silver Slipper on February 22

The champion trainer is blessed with a number of high class fillies this season, most notably Lady Shenandoah and Autumn Glow, so given Aeliana’s spring preparation he felt she wouldn’t be out of place taking on the boys again.

“The Thousand Guineas is so late and she needed an extra two weeks in the paddock so she’s a bit behind the other fillies,’’ he said.

“Hopefully we’re not asking too much of her.”

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