JASON Collett will be a new rider for unbeaten colt Rivellino for his Golden Slipper Stakes test at Royal Randwick next Saturday.
Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees this morning confirmed Collett’s booking for the $300,000 Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) for colts and geldings.
All youngsters will carry 55.5kg, with the winner automatically exempt from ballot, should it be required, for the $5m Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 22.
Stable apprentice Ben Osmond rode Rivellino in his debut victory in a 2YO Maiden Plate (1000m) at Randwick on January 4, and then James McDonald partnered the colt in his brilliant $2m Inglis Millennium (1100m) performance there on February 8.
However, McDonald is required for one of Chris Waller’s two-year-olds in the Skyline, and is on track to ride Slipper favorite Wodeton in the world’s richest two-year-old race.
Though only a portion of Rivellino’s $1.155m first prizemoney was credited to him as the Millennium was restricted to eligible Inglis graduates, he still sits sixth in order of entry for the Slipper.
Rivellino’s clash with another unbeaten youngster, Wyong whiz Shaggy (Adam Hyeronimus), will be a highlight of the next week’s Randwick program.
Meanwhile, Lees is likely to begin his Provincial-Midway Championships campaign with Lord Of Biscay at home next Saturday in the second Qualifier (1400m).
The Newcastle heat, for which the first two placegetters join yesterday’s Hawkesbury first and second Rapt and Bojangles in the $1m Final (1400m) at Randwick on April 12, is for eligible provincial-trained horses only.
“At this stage Lord Of Biscay will be my only runner in the Newcastle Qualifier tomorrow week,” Lees said.
Lod Of Biscay will be chasing a hat-trick, having won a Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m) at the Gold Coast night meeting on December 20 before bolting away with the Ballina Cup (1590m) on January 17.
Lees will have two representatives in Sunday’s postponed $75,000 Mudgee Cup (1400m).
Russian Roni (Jose Severo) has been withdrawn from a Canterbury engagement this evening and will join stablemate Little Beginnings (Aaron Bullock) in the Cup, which was to have been run in early December.
Lees’ subsequent Randwick Group 3 Summer Cup winner Tavi Time was the last winner of the Mudgee Cup in 2023 when it was run at 1600m.
Brudenell has been withdrawn from tomorrow’s Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield because of his wide barrier, and is not a certain starter either at the corresponding Rosehill meeting, where he also didn’t fare well in the draw.
He came up with the outside alley in a field of 11, but there have been two withdrawals.
“If Brudenell doesn’t run at Rosehill, he might go to Melbourne for the Listed Abell Stakes (1200m) at The Valley next Friday night,” Lees said.
Viaconi (Severo) will have the addition of blinkers when he lines up at Gosford’s return meeting tomorrow.
He also was an acceptor for Mudgee on Sunday, but will contest the Provincial Maiden Plate (1000m) for four-year-olds and upwards at The Entertainment Grounds’ first meeting in nine months.
The four-year-old has been placed at four (including one in town) of his nine starts, and has drawn barrier two in a field of nine.
Ezekeil (Angela Jones) will be Lees’ sole Brisbane representative tomorrow, in the Class 6 Plate (1350m) at Doomben.
The gelding was well beaten at the Sunshine Coast on January 25 at his first start for his new trainer when he drew the outside in a big field, and has drawn the rails this time.
Story John Curtis, February 21, 2025
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