Trainer John O’Shea is hopeful that Ottoman can bounce back to her best when she contests the 2015 Reisling Stakes at Royal Randwick this weekend.
Ottoman needs to produce an improved performance in the 2015 Reisling Stakes to keep herself in Golden Slipper contention. Photo by: Steve Hart
Ottoman went to the top of 2015 Golden Slipper betting markets when she overcame a slow start to record a most impressive victory in the Place Multi Place (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on December 20, but she was unable to produce that performance in the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens and she weakened late to finish fourth behind Headwater.
O’Shea told Racing Ahead that he was most disappointed with the performance of Ottoman in the Silver Slipper Stakes, but he is hopeful that he has been unable to turn the daughter of Exceed And Excel around heading into the Group 2 Reisling Stakes (1200m) tomorrow.
“Ottoman was very disappointing the other day, but I think she can bounce back tomorrow and get herself back in the game,” O’Shea said.
“There is no reason that she can’t run well tomorrow and go on to run well in the Slipper, but obviously we need to get on top of whatever issue we had the other day and I think that we have.
“As a result we are expecting a better race.”
Ottoman is joined in the 2015 Reisling Stakes field by stablemate Calaverite and O’Shea is also hoping that the Lonhro filly can produce an improved performance in the Group 2 event on Saturday.
Calaverite made her racing debut with an impressive win in the Listed Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick on October 4, but she was unable to figure in the finish when she returned to racing in the Listed Lonhro Plate (1100m) at Royal Randwick on February 14.
O’Shea believes that the two-year-old should be able to get a trouble free run into the Reisling Stakes tomorrow and he expects the filly to produce a competitive effort and keep herself in contention for the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21.
“Calaverite had no luck in her first-up run, she drew off the track and was badly interfered with,” O’Shea said.
“She gets beautiful run tomorrow from the gate and I think that she will run a good race.”
Ottoman is currently available at Reisling Stakes odds of $4.80 with Ladbrokes, while Calaverite is priced at a quote of $9.50 to return to winning form in the Group 2 event.
