Champion jockey Hugh Bowman to ride Rivellino in the Golden Slipper

Hugh Bowman will ride a key chance in the Golden Slipper after being granted permission to return home from the Hong Kong Jockey Club for the two-year-old flagship.

Hugh Bowman will return to ride Rivellino in the Golden Slipper.

Hall of Fame jockey Hugh Bowman has an opportunity to raise the bat for a century of Australian Group 1 wins on unbeaten colt Rivellino in the $5m Golden Slipper at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday week.

Bowman has answered an SOS from trainer and close friend Kris Lees to ride Rivellino in the world’s richest two-year-old race after Jason Collett elected to stay on Within The Law.

Collett rode both two-year-olds to last start wins at Randwick on March 1 – Rivellino winning the Skyline Stakes and Within The Law finished fast to take out the Sweet Embrace Stakes.

But Rivellino, which defeated Within The Law in the Inglis Millennium, has won each of his three starts impressively going into the Rosehill Gardens two-year-old showpiece on March 22.

James McDonald rode Rivellino in his Inglis Millennium win. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Bowman has ridden 147 winners for Lees including seven at Group 1 level.

He rode the trainer’s champion filly Samantha Miss for most of her big-race wins including the VRC Oaks, Flight Stakes and Champagne Stakes.

The champion jockey has been riding in Hong Kong the last three years and will return on Slipper Day trying to improve on his record of 99 Group 1 wins in Australia, including 25 on all-time great Winx.

Bowman, who won the 2020 Golden Slipper on Farnan, will attempt to become only the third jockey after Damien Oliver (123) and George Moore (104) to ride at least 100 Australian Group 1 winners.

Rivellino is at $11 in latest TAB Fixed Odds betting for the Golden Slipper behind the Chris Waller-trained Wodeton at $5.

The Golden Slipper field is starting to take shape with Black Opal Stakes winner King Of Pop vaulting up the order of entry following his track record-breaking win on Sunday.

Gerald Ryan, who trains in partnership with Sterling Alexiou, said his stable is hopeful of getting two Slipper starters with King Of Pop and Skyhook.

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“We’ve got Skyhook going to the Pago Pago Stakes (Group 3, $250,000) at Rosehill on Saturday but he needs to win to get into the Golden Slipper,’’ Ryan said.

“I’m confident King Of Pop is high enough in the order of entry to make the Slipper field after his Black Opal win. He’s a talented colt.”

Trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott were studying the Slipper order of entry early on Monday morning before electing to give classy filly Bellazaine a barrier trial hitout at Randwick.

Bellazaine looked good winning her 740m heat comfortably and although nominated for Saturday’s Group 3 $250,000 Magic Night Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill, she is likely to go straight to the Golden Slipper.

“We were trying to navigate the best way of having Bellazaine there for the Slipper,’’ Bott said.

“It looks like she is in the Slipper field now so we decided to trial her where she went very well. We are happy with her and she keeps improving.’’

King Of Pop surged into the Golden Slipper frame following his Black Opal win on Sunday. Picture: Bradley Photos

Bott said North England, winner of the Golden Gift earlier in the season, has pulled up well after his fifth to Tentryis in the Todman Stakes and will go straight to the Golden Slipper.

“I thought it was a very game performance from North England,’’ Bott said.

“He obviously missed a crucial lead-up run in the Silver Slipper and he still ran very well and was in the Todman for a long way.

“He wasn’t beaten far after absorbing a lot of pressure throughout the race and probably peaked on his run in the last 100m. He definitely has some improvement to come.’’

Team Hawkes also sent West Of Swindon to the Randwick trials where the colt was closing strongly late for a close second in his 1050m heat.

West Of Swindon is safely in the Golden Slipper field but is among nominations for the Pago Pago Stakes.

The Hawkes stable is likely to have two Golden Slipper runners with Blue Diamond winner Devil Night also likely to line up in next week’s big race.

Originally published as Champion jockey Hugh Bowman to ride Rivellino in the Golden Slipper