Santos did his Golden Slipper Stakes chances no harm with a tough grinding win in the Group 2 $200,000 Schweppes Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Randwick today.

Santos, above in yellow colours and purple cap, holds off all challengers to win the Skyline Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Santos made it two wins from two starts this preparation after scoring impressively in the $150,000 The Luxury Network Pierro Plate (1100m) at Randwick two weeks ago.

Winning jockey Tim Clark had Santos ($1.75 favourite) quickly out of the barriers to sit just behind the leader Zousain who headed up the field to the home turn.

Clark then let Santos stride up outside of Zousain on top of the rise by the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained colt had to pull out all stops to hold off all the challengers.

Runner up Spin ($6.50) was making some ground up along the inside rail and tried hard but failed by a neck to peg the winner whole third placegetter Legend Of Condor ($21) ran a much improved race to finish a head away.

Clark said that Santos wasn’t as brilliant as his last start win but got the job done despite having to be re-plated prior to going out onto the track,

Clark thinks that the three weeks break now until the Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 24 will do Santos the world of good.

“Probably just the edge off of him after such aa dominant win first up and I think the three weeks now leading up to the Slipper is going to be an ideal little break for him and he did a good job,” Clark said.

Santos was an $8 chance for the Golden Slipper Stakes  before the Skyline Stakes but bookies at Ladbrokes.com.au weren’t overly impressed with his win and turned him out to $11.