Chris Waller’s speedy two-year-old Yes Yes Yes might be the one to beat in next fortnight’s Group 1 Golden Slipper.
The colt by Rubick was no match for a talented field of eight during Saturday’s Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick. Yes Yes Yes, who was first-up after wining at The Valley last December, exploded down the outside to win in impressive fashion with jockey Blake Shinn on board.
Yes Yes Yes has firmed into favourtism alongside Tenley and Microphone ahead of next fortnight’s Golden Slipper. Photo Credit: Steve Hart.
Shinn’s ride entered the race as the $4.40 second-elect behind $2.90 favourite Time To Reign. Things got off to a rocky start as Yes Yes Yes was slow from the gates sitting last towards the bend, but Shinn maneuvered the pair into an outside position down the straight to take it to the leaders at the line.
Winning in a time of 1:08.40, Yes Yes Yes has now firmed from $12.00 into $6.50 for the $3.5 million Golden Slipper on March 23 at Rosehill. The two-year-old’s upside is clear having now won three of his four career starts, while Waller now thinks it’s just a matter of sustaining success after transitioning over from Darren Weir’s stables.
“We’ve had him probably five or six weeks, I think he’s just a ready-made horse. As far as his race performances, we can’t make him run faster, he’s just got to maintain it. He’s put on a lot of weight since joining the stable which is a very good sign, I think he’ll come through the race well, he just did everything well.
Yes Yes Yes will hopes to become just the sixth horse to complete the Todman-Golden Slipper double. Vancouver was the last to do so in 2015, while Shinn hopes to add yet another Group 1 victory to his lengthy resume on what he calls an exceptional colt.
“He’s been touted as pretty exceptional, he was Magic Millions favourite and he had to come in today against a quality field, but I think he proved that he’s a Golden Slipper contender of that win” Shinn said.
“I think the main objective out of today was to give the horse a good experience, as you saw in the mounting yard he’s quite agitated just taking it all in. As well as physically, I think mentally he has a bit to gain, and look, the ability is there, it’s just a matter of harnessing that and it’s very exciting.”
Time To Reign, who finished a disappointing sixth, has drifted from $7.00 out to $14.00 for the Slipper, while second place-getter Bellevue Hill has firmed from a whopping $51 into $16.
