NO RIDER YET FOR NEWCASTLE’S SLIPPER HOPE RIVELLINO

THE Golden Slipper dream is well and truly alive for unbeaten Rivellino as it ended for another previously unbeaten rival Shaggy.

But leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees has not yet confirmed a rider for his star youngster in the $5m Group 1 Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 22.

Jason Collett was the third winning jockey for Rivellino in as many starts when successful in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick today.

The victory automatically guaranteed the colt a start in the Slipper, for which he has firmed from $26 to $15 with TAB.com.au.

Collett also won the fillies’ Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) on Within The Law (now $11), who ran second to Rivellino in the $2m Inglis Millennium (1100m) at Randwick on February 8.

When asked after the Skyline this afternoon if Collett had made a decision on his Slipper mount, Lees said: “I haven’t made a commitment to Jason.

“We’ll leave that for now.”

Rivellino will be Lees’ second Golden Slipper runner, and clearly he goes into this year’s renewal with more optimism than his first.

That was the filly Elimbari, who started at $101 when last of 15 to Melbourne visitor Crystal Lily in 2010.

“Rivellino keeps getting better and though all his wins have been at Randwick, I’m sure he will again be strong at the end of the Slipper at Rosehill Gardens,” Lees said.

“Jason gave him a beaut ride today. He got back early but they weren’t going hard up front and he let Rivellino slide up three-wide with cover.”

Rivellino ($5.50) finished hard out in the centre of the track to edge out Skyhook ($9) and Quietly Arrogant ($7.50).

“The plan now is to keep Rivellino happy and healthy,” Lees said.

“The gap between runs works well with him.”

It was four weeks between Rivellino’s debut victory at Randwick on January 4 and the Millennium, and then three weeks to the Skyline.

Wyong trainer Allan Kehoe told RacingNSW stewards after Shaggy ($2.45 favorite) had finished fifth that it was his intention to spell the gelding, who was chasing his fourth win on end.

Jockey Adam Hyeronimus told stewards Shaggy hung in noticeably when placed under pressure early in the straight, and continued to hang in, particularly over the closing stages.

Shaggy also lost his near fore plate in running.

Lees’ triumph with Rivellino followed an interstate victory the previous evening with prolific winner Brudenell at The Valley.

Bookmakers gambled against Brudenell (Mark Zahra), who started $3.10 favorite after even better odds were offered, and the gelding posted his 10th win from 25 starts in the Listed Abell Stakes (1200m).

“There’s nothing else really suitable in Melbourne, and I don’t think he is up to a race such as the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at The Valley on March 22 at weight-for-age,” Lees said.

“We’ll look at some races in Sydney during the autumn carnival, such as the Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in April.”

Lees’ apprentice William Stanley rushed back from riding Shall Be (seventh at $7) in today’s Randwick opener at 12.30pm to score on Power Of The Brave at Newcastle at 3.36pm.

Stanley’s 3kg claim was advantageous on well supported Power Of The Brave ($4.20) in the Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap (900m), and he gave a polished display to get the gelding home from Paul Perry’s Curl Curl ($3.50 favorite) and Kerry Parker’s Let’s Go Again ($6.50).

It was Power of The Brave’s third win and the four-year-old’s first since July 2023 at Doomben as a two-year-old – with six minor placings sandwiched in between.

Story John Curtis, March 1, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos