Cylinder’s perfect draw gives him golden chance in Slipper
Godolphlin colt Cylinder remains the Golden Slipper favourite and the one to beat in rivals’ eyes after drawing perfectly for Saturday’s $5 million two-year-old classic at Rosehill.
Those at the top of the market drew inside at Tuesday’s barrier draw with Cylinder in barrier three, unbeaten filly Learning To Fly in four and King’s Gambit to jump from barrier seven, leaving the betting relatively unchanged.
Cylinder will chase a $1 million bonus from a perfect draw in Saturday’s Golden Slipper.Credit:Getty
The James Cummings-trained Cylinder, who will chase a $1 million bonus after wins in the Silver Slipper and Todman Stakes, stayed the $3.50 favourite with stablemates Barber and Exploding drawing next to each in barriers eight and nine.
“That’s a pleasing start, the rest is up to our riders now,” Godolphin bloodstock manager Jason Walsh said.
“Cylinder is a versatile runner and we leave it up to James [McDonald]. He has a draw that gives him every chance.”
Annabel Neasham was delighted to have a barrier which will allow Learning To Fly to be ridden to her strengths in the first half of the field.
“It helps to have a lowish draw because you get to the position you want. I wouldn’t swap my horse for anything else but I think Cylinder is one to beat,” Neasham said.
Peter and Paul Snowden also have three runners who all drew inside 10: Empire Of Japan (2), Don Corelone (6) and King’s Gambit (8).
“It’s a bit of relief to have them all draw well,” Paul Snowden said. “We have said all along that King’s Gambit will be best suited when he gets to the pressure of the Golden Slipper.
“We are very happy with him and he has the draw, which will allow him to come into the race at the right time.”
The only one of the favourites not to draw ideally was Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Red Resistance, who has the outside barrier of 17.
“A draw like that forces our hand a bit. We were always going to push forward and that’s what we will do and hope for the best,” Bott said.
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