The Golden Slipper odds on the sensational multi-million-dollar colt Storm Boy are firming fast following the Gai & Adrian Bott-trained two-year-old’s all too easy 2024 Skyline Stakes victory at Randwick on Saturday.

Odds-on elect Storm Boy was never challenged winning the 2024 Skyline Stakes for the punters. Photo: Steve Hart.

The imposing son of Justify commanded attention trackside pre-race and lived up to the hype winning the Group 2 $300,000 Skyline Stakes (1200m) in a cakewalk.

Storm Boy remains undefeated heading into the richest two-year-old race in the world with the Skyline his fourth victory from as many starts.

He was last seen putting 2.5 lengths on his rivals at the Gold Coast in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) in mid-January, and he was equally as dominant kept fresh for the Skyline where James McDonald took over riding duties on the $1.18 favourite.

“It’s always a little bit nerve wracking seeing these profile horses come back off that turnaround,” co-trainer Bott told Sky Thoroughbred Central post-win. 

“It has been a big trip away for him, but he’s had a good campaign.

“He is back in good shape, with the conditions today, he had to ride those but I think he certainly did enough and we’ve left some nice improvement to come.

“Lovely style of horse, he’s got plenty of gears. He’s got a high cruising speed, he looked in full control from the outset, then he can find more levels and keep quickening off that and he looked in good shape going to the line.”

J-Mac used the inside draw to roll forward and take up the lead with a good grip on the spruik colt throughout.

He came one off the fence at the top of the straight, gave him a little niggle a furlong out, and was never challenged hitting the line well clear of the rest of the field.

Stablemate Prost ($12) was next best home by a big margin in second with the Snitzel colt good again after his lead-up Group 3 Canonbury win at Rosehill.

Third went to the Chris Waller-trained Duvana ($18).

Storm Boy is now raging favourite for the Group 1 $4.92 million Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) in three weeks’ time.

He is into $2.40 in all-in Golden Slipper Stakes 2024 odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au with Bott confidence the horse can deliver.

“It’s his first run and at 1200 metres off a while between races and a freshen up, he’s only had the one trial and he’s a lovely, big colt so I think condition-wise, that will tighten him up nicely,” he said. 

Dance Hero (2004) was the last horse to do the Skyline Stakes – Golden Slipper double and was also one of co-trainer Gai Waterhouse’s record seven previous Golden Slipper Stakes champions.

Her latest who she prepared in partnership with Bott was Farnan (2020), and all the money is on the Tulloch Lodge team to secure an eighth this autumn with Storm Boy.

Following the Golden Slipper, Bott confirmed plans to race on with Storm Boy targeting the Triple Crown with the Group 1 Inglis Sires’ (1400m) and Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) – a double completed by Militarize last year – also on the agenda.

“We’ve had to prepare for the Golden Slipper, but we’ve got big targets for the Triple Crown as well,” he said.

“I’d like to think he is only going to be better suited getting over the 1400, 1600 metres in time. It’s very exciting for everyone involved.”

Click here for the latest pre-field Golden Slipper Stakes 2024 betting markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2024 Skyline Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

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