Golden Slipper favourite Wodeton must win Todman Stakes to be certain of start

It’s D-Day for boom colt Wodeton who needs to win at Randwick on Saturday to be assured a start in the Golden Slipper.

Wodeton, the long-time Golden Slipper favourite, is in a must-win situation going into the Group 2 $300,000 Todman Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Chris Waller’s boom colt needs to win to be certain of a start in the $5m Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens in two weeks.

The Coolmore-owned Wodeton has dominated Golden Slipper betting since his brilliant debut win at Rosehill back in January.

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Wodeton was $51 into $11 for the Golden Slipper before his Rosehill win, then was immediately promoted to the top of betting at $3.

Although Wodeton has eased slightly to $3.50 since his third in Beiwacht’s Silver Slipper, he remains a pronounced Golden Slipper favourite and potentially a huge liability for TAB.

But Wodeton needs to win the Todman Stakes to be certain of a start in the world’s richest juvenile race on March 22.

Waller is forgiving of Wodeton’s last-start defeat and is optimistic the colt confirm his place in the Golden Slipper field and as the race favourite by winning the Todman Stakes.

“Wodeton’s come through the (Silver Slipper) run really well,’’ Waller said.

“He got into an awkward spot three-wide and he didn’t have cover. Over the Rosehill 1100m, that’s not easy.

“He laboured for the first 200m of the straight but his last 200m sectionals were good.’’

Waller said Wodeton galloped particularly well at Rosehill trackwork earlier this week.

“He’s a very good horse,’’ the trainer added.

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The Coolmore-owned Wodeton is the $2.20 favourite in latest TAB betting for the Todman Stakes which is going to have a significant bearing on Golden Slipper betting considering most of the best two-year-olds colts in training are clashing including North England, Beiwacht, Tentryis, Tycoon Star and Pallaton.

Waller prepared a Group 1 double at Randwick a week ago with Via Sistina (Verry Elleegant Stakes) and Lady Shenandoah (Surround Stakes) and the trainer is hoping to repeat that feat at the same venue on Saturday.

The champion trainer has crack colt Switzerland in the $750,000 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) and Aeliana in the $1m Randwick Guineas (1600m).

Both three-year-olds are coming off last-start defeats although Waller found plenty of merit in both Switzerland’s first-up fourth in the Lightning Stakes and Aeliana’s third placing in the Hobartville Stakes.

“Switzerland ran in the Lightning first-up and ran really well,’’ Waller said.

“He will appreciate going to 1300m.

“Aeliana was really good first-up against the boys and that told me she should run against the boys again in the Guineas. She will then go down the fillies path to the Vinery next.’’

Wodeton is the Golden Slipper favourite but needs to win the Todman Stakes to be certain of a start. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Waller also has Group 1-winning chances at Flemington with Atishu in the $2.5m All-Star Mile (1600m), and Joliestar and Gatsby’s in the $1.5m Newmarket Handicap (1200m).

“Atishu runs very well at Flemington so getting her back to Flemington will be good,’’ Waller said.

“Joliestar has had no luck from The Everest onwards but hopefully straight track racing means she needs a little less luck (in running). Gatsby’s a rough, lightweight chance.’’

MEMORIES OF BART

It’s the 10th anniversary of the final Group 1 winner trained by the legendary Bart Cummings – Hallowed Crown in the 2015 Randwick Guineas.

Cummings was training in partnership with his grandson, James at the time, and Hallowed Crown’s Randwick Guineas gave the Hall of Famer the 246th Group 1 winner of his celebrated career, equalling the record of his great rival, Tommy Smith.

Bart Cummings passed away later that year and James has trained in his own right since, already preparing 50 Group 1 winners.

James, who now trains for Godolphin, has outstanding colt Broadsiding as the $1.60 favourite to give him a third Randwick Guineas after Hallowed Crown and Kementari (2018).

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GODOLPHIN 2YOs PUT TO TEST

Godolphin’s Golden Slipper ambitions will be tested at the Royal Randwick meeting.

Talented filly Tempted lines up in the Group 2 $300,000 Reisling Stakes (1200m) while the trainer has entered classy colts Beiwacht and Aleppo Pine for the Group 2 $300,000 Todman Stakes (1200m).

Aleppo Pine is also entered for the Group 3 $200,000 Black Opal Stakes (1200m) at Canberra on Sunday.

Tempted is coming off a luckless seventh in the Blue Diamond while Beiwacht was very impressive winning the Silver Slipper.

“I feel like we didn’t get to see the best of Tempted in the Blue Diamond,’’ Godolphin maestro James Cummings said.

“But she’s a good filly with a gun attitude. She handled that pressure and has returned to Sydney in very good shape.

“Beiwacht is interesting. It seems a lot of form lines with the two-year-olds are being queried.

“But that might be a consequence of there being so many balls in the air with the two-year-olds. Every good race that comes along they query the form.

“The bottom line is that the Silver Slipper, four weeks out from the Golden Slipper, is traditionally a very good trial for the main event.

“The Todman as a stepping stone to the Golden Slipper is important for Beiwacht and he will meet some of his main rivals with the first two favourites in the Golden Slipper in the field, the second placegetter from the Blue Diamond.

“There are other colts capable of running well – that’s a proper horse race.’’

Aleppo Pine can atone this weekend. Picture: Brett Holburt/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Aleppo Pine was disappointing last start in a Blue Diamond lead-up race so Cummings decided to bring the colt to Sydney for the autumn.

“I suspect he has more to offer than what he showed at Caulfield and I just don’t think he was quite hardened enough at that stage to be turning that around in the Diamond,’’ Cummings explained.

“I would like to think he can turn it around on Saturday but he will need to because he’s meeting the best and fittest of them. It’s a tough challenge but he’s a talented colt.’’

SWITZERLAND SHINES AMONG STARS

The scratching of Caulfield Cup winner Duke De Sessa from the Randwick City Stakes still leaves 16 individual Group 1 winners sporting silks at Royal Randwick.

This includes no fewer than eight major race winners who are clashing in the Group 1 $750,000 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) – Ceolwulf, Here To Shock, Militarize, Celestial Legend, Sunshine In Paris, Magic Time, Stefi Magnetica and Switzerland.

Form guru Gary Crispe believes Switzerland can become the third three-year-old after Holler (2016) and Pierro (2013) to win the Canterbury Stakes since it was elevated to Group 1 level in 2013.

“This is a tricky race, it is not clear-cut, and the tempo and run of the race will have a large bearing on the result,’’ Crispe said.

“I’m not comfortable where Switzerland is drawn (barrier nine) but he does have James McDonald on board and on ratings alone, he’s the one to beat,’’ Crispe said.

“Switzerland already has a peak Timeform rating of 125, I do think he is a better horse second-up and he’s unbeaten at Randwick. It’s going to take a good horse to beat him.’’

Crispe is wary of Sunshine In Paris and her “great record fresh”, and felt Here To Shock’s race fitness will ensure he is competitive.

For the Randwick Guineas, Crispe said he can’t top anything to beat gifted Godolphin colt Broadsiding.

“I feel Broadsiding is a very good colt and has the right profile for this race,’’ he said.

“He’s certainly capable of going over a 120 Timeform rating and this is his race to lose.’’

At Flemington, Crispe is leaning to Mr Brightside in the Group 1 $2.5m All-Star Mile (1600m) and has lightweight Gatsby’s set for an upset in the Group 1 $1.5m Newmarket Handicap (1200m).

Originally published as Golden Slipper favourite Wodeton must win Todman Stakes to be certain of start