Cornrow is the 2014 Golden Slipper tip of Mick Price; with the leading Melbourne trainer confident that Cornrow has the edge over stablemate Jabali in the Group 1 event at Rosehill Gardens this weekend.
Cornrow is chasing his maiden race win in the 2014 Golden Slipper at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Cornrow made his racing debut with a third place finish in the Inglis Banner (1000m) at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day last year and has performed well without winning at Group level since returning to the races; finishing a fast-finishing third in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 22 before working home strongly again in the Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 22.
Price has been happy with the lead-up form of Cornrow and said that the son of Duporth worked strongly alongside Jabali earlier in the week.
“I am very happy with Cornrow,” Price said.
“He is a tough two-year-old and he continues to train on.
“Him and Jabali worked over half a mile on Tuesday morning and for the first time Cornrow worked a bit better than Jabali.
“Cornrow is on the up.”
Jabali was the Golden Slipper tip of Price at the start of the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, after the Exceed And Excel colt finishing second in both the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield on February 8 and the Blue Diamond Stakes, but Price was not happy with the performance of the juvenile in the Todman Stakes.
Price admitted that he wished that Jabali had been sent to the spelling paddock following his poor showing in the Todman Stakes and is not confident about the chances of the two-year-old heading into the Golden Slipper on Saturday.
“I’m not confident with Jabali; I think that the horse has had enough,” Price said.
“I would like to see him the paddock.
“However, he is going to take his place and hopefully I am wrong.
“I have my doubts about Jabali in the Slipper, especially after his last-star performance and his performance off the track.”
Price is chasing his first win in the Golden Slipper after finishing third with Samaready in 2012 and missing the placings with Halibery in 2003.
Cornrow is currently available at 2014 Golden Slipper odds of $15 and Jabali is priced at $26; with Earthquake ($2.50) still a clear favourite from Team Hawkes-trained Mossfun ($4.80).
