Golden Slipper clues emerge at Randwick

Godolphin’s G1 Golden Slipper prospects are likely to gain some perspective when Veranillo makes his Autumn debut in the Listed Hinchinbrook Plate at Randwick on Saturday, February 4.

Victory at his only start and an encouraging trial last month have confirmed Veranillo’s place among the top bracket of trainer John O’Shea’s prospects for the A$3-million Slipper.

“He showed us a lot of promise when he won in the spring and he trialled quite nicely last week,” O’Shea said.

“He’s on trial for a Golden Slipper run and will have one more lead up run, probably in the Skyline.

“At this stage he’s in the top five of our two-year-olds.”

Veranillo, who will be ridden by James Doyle, won with something in hand at Rosehill at his only start and showed he had returned in good order when a comfortable third in his recent trial.

He is likely to run again in the G2 Skyline Stakes before the Golden Slipper, run at Rosehill on March 18.

At Randwick on Saturday, O’Shea will also be testing the G1 Randwick Guineas prospects of the smart colts Bezel and Bryneich who both run in the G3 Eskimo Prince Stakes.

Bezel (James Doyle) won three on end in restricted three-year-old company last spring before finishing a good third in a highly-competitive G3 Carbine Club Stakes at Flemington and O’Shea is looking for him to take up where he left off.

“He’s on track for the Randwick Guineas which looks the right race for him and he’ll run in the Hobartville Stakes in two weeks’ time,” O’Shea said.

“He didn’t have very long off, he’s come back in good shape and his trial last week was quite satisfactory.

“He might need the run on Saturday, but I expect him to acquit himself well.”

Bryneich (Brenton Avdulla) comes to the Eskimo Prince as one of the most promising three-year-olds in the O’Shea stable, having won by a wide margin on his return to racing at Canterbury last month.

“He put up a big performance to win like he did the other night,” O’Shea said.

“To be fair, he probably had a few things in his favour, a fitness advantage, so it wasn’t a huge surprise, but very pleasing at the same time.

“We’ve also got the Randwick Guineas in mind for him. He’s obviously a bit sharper at this stage than Bezel, we’ll see how he comes through Saturday and then decide where we go.”

The Randwick Stakes-race entry is completed by Circular (Brenton Avdulla) in the G2 Breeders’ Classic, a race likely to define her immediate future.

“She showed plenty of promise last prep and did a great job,” O’Shea said.

“We’ve got a couple of nice Stakes races in mind for her over the next few weeks.”