RIVELLINO “SPOT ON” FOR GOLDEN SLIPPER QUEST

KRIS Lees says Rivellino is “as good if not better” on the eve of his quest to snare tomorrow’s $5m Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens.Lees this morning gave the unbeaten colt his seal of approval for the world’s richest two-year-old event.

“I couldn’t be any happier with Rivellino,” he said.

“He is in terrific order.

“Our initial goal was to win the $2m Inglis Millennium (1100m) early last month, and then he won the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) three weeks later (both at Royal Randwick).

“He is as good now if not better.”

Lees’ close friend Hugh Bowman, who has ridden seven of Lees’ 17 Group 1 winners to date, flies in to Sydney from Hong Kong today chasing his 100th Australian major.

But there will be no specific instructions before he legs Bowman aboard the colt.

“I’ve had a good chat on the phone with Hugh, and he has watched videos of his three wins.

“Rivellino drew wide when he won both the Millennium and Skyline, and I’m expecting he will be able to settle closer tomorrow from a much more favorable barrier (three).”

Rivellino, who will be Lees’ only second Golden Slipper runner (Elimbari ran last at $101 in 2010), took the leading Newcastle trainer’s eye as a yearling for a couple of reasons.

“I knew the family as I trained his dam Intrinsic, who won three races and ran fourth in a Ramornie Handicap at Grafton, and she was a better mare than perhaps her form indicated,” he said.

“And Rivellino’s sire Too Darn Hot is a great stallion, so there was much to like about

Rivellino.”

A $180,000 purchase at the 2023 Inglis Classic yearling sale, Rivellino is the second foal of the So You Think mare Intrinsic. Her first foal, three-year-old filly Vucciria (by Pride Of Dubai) was trained in Sydney and retired without racing after trialling twice.

Rivellino won’t be Lees’ only focus at the Slipper meeting. He is attempting to get seven-year-old Cleveland (who Bowman also partners) back into form in the Group 3 Manion Cup (2400m) after tailing the field home at his last four starts.

Remarkably, they all followed his Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) victory in October 2023, after which a virus forced his withdrawal a day before the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.

“Cleveland hasn’t raced since The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick in early October, and returns as a gelding,” Lees said.

“He trialled well (a close second over 1200m at Hawkesbury on February 24) and I’ve been really pleased with his work at home.

“Cleveland has to take that now to a race, but he’s going to a suitable distance and, whilst no doubt he will take improvement from this, I can see him running well.”

Lees sends Imposant (Andrew Gibbons) to Kembla Grange tomorrow for the sixth Qualifier (1400m) of the Provincial-Midway Championships, having withdrawn her from yesterday’s fifth Qualifier at home.

“I felt the Kembla race was a bit softer than Newcastle, so she will get her chance to qualify,” he said.

Russian Roni (Damien Thornton) is Lees’ sole interstate representative, in the Open Handicap (1600m) at Eagle Farm.

“He ran well last time when just beaten over the same course, admittedly in weaker class, after leading and we’ll try to replicate that tomorrow,” he said.

Story John Curtis, March 21, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos