Three times Melbourne Cup winning jockey Glen Boss is the new rider for Headwater in the Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Glen Boss will be the new rider for Headwater in the Golden Slipper at Rosehill. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.
The top Melbourne rider replaces the in-form Sydney jockey Blake Shinn who has been aboard the Team Hawkes trained colt at his two runs this campaign.
Boss confirmed the booking on the Golden Slipper third favourite by twitter this morning before the Exceed And Excel colt draw barrier eleven in the sixteen horse field plus three emergencies and is likely to jump from gate nine.
“Thanks to Team Hawkes for the ride on Headwater in the Slipper,” Boss tweeted.
Boss will be looking for his third win in the Golden Slipper after being successful on Flying Spur in 1995 for Lee Freedman and on Sebring for Gai Waterhouse in 2008.
Shinn was aboard Headwater when he led all of the way to win the Group 2 $250,000 Blackwoods Uvex Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on February 21 and was again in charge when he was a disappointing five and a quarter lengths third as favourite to Vancouver in the Group 2 $300,000 UNSW Todman Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on March 7.
Shinn also rode the Gai Waterhouse trained English to victory in the Group 2 $300,000 Guinness Reisling Stakes (1200m) on the same day and will stick with the Encosta De Lago filly in the Golden Slipper.
English should be able to get a good run just off the speed from barrier six.
Co-trainer Michael Hawkes said that the team was disappointed with Headwater’s last start flop but added that the colt has pulled up well and deserves another chance.
“It is always hard bouncing back, but everyone is entitled to an off day I suppose,” Hawkes told Sky Racing.
“He worked good this morning, we are happy with him and he looks great.
“We didn’t change his routine and he worked very good on the grass this morning.
“We think he is back to where he was going into the Silver Slipper and he is there and well.
“Anybody would think that his lost a leg last start, but he still ran third and he had a hard run.
“He got beat by a couple of good horses in the race and you can’t take anything away, but if he brings back his form when he won the Silver Slipper he is going to be hard to beat.
“He is definitely on track.”
Waterhouse will also saddle up Golden Slipper favourite Vancouver who drifted slightly in the betting to $2.90 after drawing one from the outside at eighteen in the original barrier draw but will likely jump from fifteen in the final sixteen horse field.
Latest Golden Slipper market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.90 Vancouver, $4.20 Exosphere, $12 Headwater, $13 Ready For Victory, Furnaces $14 Haptic, $15 English, $17 Lake Geneva, $26 Speak Fondly, $34 Fireworks, Ottoman, Reemah, $41 Single Gaze $51 Haybah, $67 Odyssey Moon $101 Serenade, Look To The Stars, Racy, $201 Heavenly Hand
