Wodeton aiming for Slipper berth in classy edition of the Todman
Coolmore are confident the real Wodeton (Wootton Bassett) will stand up as he looks to avoid the unthinkable – failure to qualify for the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) – when he runs on Saturday in a mouth-watering edition of the Todman Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m).
The pressure will be immense as the $1.6 million colt – and long-time clear Slipper favourite – takes on 11 rivals in the Todman, including other key fancies for the world’s richest two-year-old event including North England (Farnan), Beiwacht (Bivouac) and Tycoon Star (Written Tycoon).
Coolmore will be hoping he leads a three-pronged, dual-country afternoon of redemption for colts in the navy blue as Wodeton, Switzerland (Snitzel) and Public Attention (Written Tycoon) set out to atone for last-start defeats in key races.
The $1.5 million three-year-old Switzerland ran a disappointing fourth as $2.45 favourite in Flemington’s Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m), and will seek redemption in Randwick’s Canterbury Stakes (Gr 1, 1300m).
Public Attention burst into autumn elite reckoning by stunning some more fancied rivals with a first-up win in the Eskimo Prince Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), but could then also manage only fourth in the Hobartville Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m).
The Karaka product – a more modest $160,000 purchase for Coolmore’s Tom Magnier – will be out to make up for that run on Saturday in New Zealand in the inaugural edition of the NZ$3.5 million The Kiwi (1500m).
Under an initiative announced on Tuesday, the winner of that Ellerslie slot race will earn a place in the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill in the spring.
Thus there’ll be much on the shoulders of trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr, and jockey Wiremu Pinn, as $5.50 second-elect Public Attention takes on a quality field also featuring cross-Tasman raiders in Team Hayes’s $2.70 favourite Evaporate (Per Incanto), and $7.50 chance Perfumist (El Roca), from the rampaging Bjorn Baker stable.
But that pressure will be minor in comparison to that hanging over Wodeton in the $300,000 Todman 27 minutes earlier, with his $2.25 favouritism a relatively minor consideration. At least there’s no better combination in Australia than Waller and James McDonald to cope with it.
McDonald – who rode Wodeton in his fearsome debut victory at Rosehill on January 18 – is back aboard the colt. He was away on Saudi Cup (Gr 1, 1800m) duty when Wodeton last ran in the Silver Slipper Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m), also at Rosehill.
Under Kerrin McEvoy that day, the $2.20 favourite settled three-wide at the tail from gate nine of nine, was pushed forward three and four wide without cover down the side, and managed only third behind Beiwacht and West Of Swindon (Wootton Bassett).
Ultimately, Wodeton did well to be still coming at the finish, beaten 2.44 lengths.
But that result has left him in an awkward predicament in terms of making the final field of 16 for the Slipper at Rosehill on March 22 – and the chance to have his credentials stamped to one day join Coolmore’s stallion barn.
On the latest order of entries, determined by prize-money and exemptions, Wodeton sits 24th.
His eligible earnings stand at $109,750. As the list stands, winning the $170,000 first prize for the Todman would shoot him to a safe ninth place on the order of entry. Second place would have him 15th.
Third would make him first emergency – and he would thus have to rely on others on the list falling away between now and Slipper day.
All of these calculations, however, are based on the impossible premise that all other rivals on the list would have unchanged earnings between now and when the field for the $5 million Slipper is finalised.
Aside from the Todman, more Slipper hopefuls will go round in Saturday’s Reisling Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) for fillies, Sunday’s $200,000 Black Opal (Gr 3, 1200m) in Canberra, and next Saturday in Rosehill’s Pago Pago Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) for males and the Magic Night Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) for fillies, both worth $140,000 for the winner.
Thus the equation for Wodeton this Saturday is, in terms of semantics at least, a simple one: Win and you’re in; run second and you’re a maybe, reliant on the fates of others; come third and hope for a near miracle.
Coolmore at least believes Wodeton will be in imposing order following his first two races. And with perhaps the world’s finest jockey aboard from barrier five, he should be afforded every opportunity to seal his Slipper ticket with a victory.
“He’s in good order,” Coolmore’s racing manager John Kennedy told ANZ Bloodstock News. “He’s drawn a nice barrier, and James takes the ride. It’s a very strong renewal of the field but we’re happy with our horse going into it.
“We definitely feel like we’re on the right horse, so we’re looking forward to it.”
Kennedy said connections were ultimately pleased with how Wodeton performed in the Silver Slipper, and that racegoers would likely see a better version of the colt this weekend.
“The stable felt like there was going to be a lot of improvement out of his run,” Kennedy said.
“He was always a horse we didn’t want to be going over the top too soon before the Slipper, but he certainly seems to be in good order and Chris and the team are happy with him.
“Chris very much has a grand final in view for this horse. So I think we’ll see improvement from his run and hopefully he shows us his best.
“We were actually quite happy with his last run. We felt that his sectionals were good, and he got good experience with the run, going back from the wide gate. He was possibly caught in an awkward part of the track at times the way the race played out, but he collected himself well and gathered himself well to the line, and we feel he’ll appreciate the step up in trip.”
One extra possible danger on the potholed road to the stallion-making Slipper is rain.
Randwick was rated a soft 5 on Wednesday, but as Cyclone Alfred impacts the eastern seaboard the weather bureau forecast a 70 per cent chance of rain for Randwick on Thursday and similar for Saturday, though with none predicted for Friday.
However, Kennedy said Wodeton could be expected to handle a wet surface. He won his debut on a soft 7, before a heavy 8 barrier trial at Warwick Farm in which he ran a 3.13 length fourth.
“He’s trialled on a heavy track before at Warwick Farm,” Kennedy said. “If we do get more rain in Sydney we should be comfortable on it.”
Wodeton is not the only son of Coolmore’s boom shuttler Wootton Bassett under pressure to atone in the Todman.
Michael Freedman’s Pallaton had been an early Slipper favourite after winning over 1000 metres on debut at Randwick on December 21, but then managed only fourth as $2.05 popular elect in the Pierro Plate (1100m) behind Shaggy (Sandbar), who’s subsequently also turned in an unplaced run. Pallaton sits equal 26th on the Slipper order of entry.
North England, who’s fifth in the order of entry for the Slipper, was a $5 second favourite on Wednesday behind Wodeton’s $2.25. Godolphin’s Beiwacht – who’s exempt from a ballot after winning the Silver Slipper – is at $5.50.
Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) third-placegetter Tycoon Star (eighth on the order or entry) was at $9, but has also accepted for Flemington’s VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) on the same afternoon.
Pallaton was at $18, alongside Godolphin’s two other contenders in Blue Diamond runner-up Tentyris (Street Boss), who’s sixth on the Slipper list, and Aleppo Pine (Blue Point), who ran fifth in the Blue Diamond as $2.45 favourite and is 25th.
Meanwhile, Coolmore are also confident Switzerland can fare better on Saturday, stepping up 300 metres to the Canterbury Stakes, than when fourth in the Lightning in his first start since his triumph up the same straight course in November’s Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m).
“We’re looking forward to seeing him second-up and we definitely feel he’ll be an improver over 1300 metres,” Kennedy said. “He did a nice bit of work on Saturday on the course proper in Sydney, and he’s in good order.
“He probably got a little bit crowded at times during his run in the Lightning. Having his first run back he possibly needed a little more time up his sleeve to show his best, so I think the extended distance and being back on his home track should suit him.”
Switzerland was a $4.80 second-favourite on Wednesday behind the Grahame Begg-trained Yulong-raced mare Magic Time (Hellbent), the last-start winner of Randwick’s Expressway Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m), who was at $4.
Two more mares help pack a quality field in Sunshine In Paris (Invader) at $5.50 and Stef Magnetica (All Too Hard) at $7.
The much vaunted Ceolwulf (Tavistock) is at $10 after being scratched from last Saturday’s Verry Elleegant Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) due to a minor leg abrasion.
Militarize (Dundeel) is back as a gelding and is at $16 for his first start in almost a year, with his retirement to stud aborted due to fertility problems.
Across the Tasman in The Kiwi, Coolmore have high hopes Public Attention can provide one leg of a glittering winning treble, despite drawing the widest gate of 14.
Kennedy said the grey had performed well when second-up in a high-class Hobartville behind a highly-rated trio Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot), Swiftfalcon (Exceedance) and Aeliana (Castelvecchio).
“Public Attention came up against one of the best horses in Australia in Broadsiding. I thought it was a Group 1 field and he ran a nice fourth,” Kennedy said. “He had an awkward draw, and they had to take him forward which wouldn’t have suited his style, since he would’ve preferred a sit and a run to the line.
“He’s drawn slightly awkwardly for The Kiwi, but we thought he’d improve third-up. Wherever he was going to go, whether it was Saturday’s Randwick Guineas or The Kiwi, we thought he’d be peaking third-up.
“He’s travelled over in good order, and we’re hopeful he’ll give a good account of himself.”