Chris Waller’s Canonbury Stakes one-two finishers Hidrix and Confederation renew hostilities this weekend, advancing their Golden Slipper campaign in the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes at Rosehill.
Hidrix won by 1-3/4 lengths from his fellow debutant over 1100 metres in the Canonbury, but Waller anticipates Confederation will make ground in the $300,000 Group 2 clash on Saturday.
“Hidrix has come on nicely. The other horse has got to harness that early speed that he had,” Waller said.
“A little gear change with him and he’ll be right. He could turn the tables if he does things right.”
Confederation, a son of Wootton Bassett snapped up for $650,000 at Magic Millions, will receive the rein-connecting aid Waller has planned to aid handling.
“It’s called an Irish martingale,” Waller said.
“We’ve been using them a bit more. They stop them from throwing their head.”
Among the 16 declared for the Silver Slipper are Hidrix, the Extreme Choice gelding from the $1.7 million Inglis Easter sale, Confederation, plus third-placed Canonbury runner Eviction Notice, one-time Golden Slipper market leader Incognito, and Shiki from the Gimcrack win.
This Silver Slipper is merely the second appearance for Waller’s pair; typically Golden Slipper victors have more lead-up, yet Waller is content with his youngsters’ blueprint.
“It just seems to work for us,” he said.
“You get a month out from the Slipper and you think you’ve got nothing and, all of a sudden, you’ve got two or three.”
Without a nomination but strong in Golden Slipper markets despite being unraced, Central Europe may launch in the ensuing weekend’s $300,000 Group 2 Skyline Stakes at Randwick, Waller mentioned.
Waller feels a Golden Slipper tilt remains viable, albeit on a precise path.
“He would only get there through running in the Pago Pago second-up,” he said.
Run at Rosehill on March 14, the Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes was Shinzo’s stepping stone to Golden Slipper success. The betting markets for the race are heating up for the Silver Slipper Stakes.
The post Return bout for Hidrix, Confederation first appeared on Just Horse Racing.
