Golden Gift winner North England has been scratched from Saturday’s Silver Slipper at Rosehill after returning unsatisfactory blood results.
Co-trainer Adrian Bott confirmed the colt’s scheduled return would be postponed as a precaution, but assured that the plan to continue with his Golden Slipper campaign remains unchanged. “I wasn’t 100 per cent happy with his bloods, so we’ll wait another day,” Bott said.
North England, a highly-anticipated runner in the Silver Slipper (1100m), shares the second line of the Golden Slipper markets at $11 with online betting sites.
Meanwhile, West Of Swindon, who finished second to North England in the Golden Gift, is set to make his return in the Silver Slipper. Co-trainer Michael Hawkes is confident that the colt, who had a tough run from a wide gate last time, will perform better with a more favourable barrier.
“If he’d drawn a barrier that day, he would have been a lot closer and he would have won,” Hawkes said. “From a good barrier, he’ll be two or three pairs closer and making his own luck.”
West Of Swindon, a $5 chance for the Silver Slipper and $17 for the Golden Slipper, will face off against the dominant Golden Slipper favourite Wodeton, who firmed into $1.95 for Saturday’s race following North England’s withdrawal.