Sending Warwoven into the Golden Slipper with just a seven-day turnaround wasn’t the initial strategy, yet anticipated rainfall in Sydney has trainer Bjorn Baker increasingly enthusiastic about the prospect.
A couple of horses have triumphed in the event on such a brief rest recently, including Kiamichi back in 2019 and Shinzo three years prior, and if Rosehill turns sloppy on Saturday, Warwoven’s sharp condition might prove beneficial.
Drawn in barrier 14, the colt opened at $7 on Wednesday, whereas stablemate Paradoxium, the joint pre-draw favourite, drifted slightly to $8 following the draw of gate 18.
Baker is confident that each remains progressive and points to their resilience shown by recovering from disruptions in their interrupted Magic Millions efforts up in Queensland as evidence of their grit.
“Both colts have got a great constitution and very good attitudes, so that gives you a bit of encouragement,” Baker said.
“They’ve both been on the way up, so if anything, the back-up could work to our advantage, especially if there is a little bit of rain around and the track does get demanding. Maybe that would tip me towards Warwoven.”
Rachel King will ride Warwoven, and a victory would mark her as the inaugural female jockey to claim the globe’s most lucrative race for juveniles.
The young horse gets blinkers added for his debut in them, with Baker anticipating they might provide the decisive boost.
“He has worked in them previously and has gone very well so we thought, Saturday is the day to do it,” he said.
“It’s a bit of a risky move, but he’s drawn out a touch.
“We’ve got the option to go forward or take a sit. Rachel knows him very well, so we’ll figure that out.”
An wide barrier complicates things for Paradoxium, though Baker stresses the importance of nailing the strategy.
“No doubt, the gate, he is going to have to overcome that,” he said.
“He’s just going to need a little bit of luck from out wide and make sure we get our tactics spot-on.
“But the main thing is we are here, and he is in good shape and healthy.”
Seven among the last 15 Golden Slipper champions have jumped from barrier eight or outward, with six launching from double-digit posts.
In addition to Warwoven, a pair of other contenders feature notable equipment adjustments on Saturday, as Chris Waller opts to trial blinkers on Fireball for the initial occasion, while removing them from stablemate Hidrix after the colt didn’t fire with them in the Todman Stakes (1200m).
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