By Craig Kerry
Adrian Bott expects Lumbini and Plagiarism to improve, and By Choice to appreciate racing at Rosehill, when they make last-ditch efforts to build on Tulloch Lodge’s Golden Slipper assault.
Bott and legendary co-trainer Gai Waterhouse, who has a record eight Slipper wins, have Shiki and potentially Agrarian Girl in Saturday week’s $5 million showpiece for two-year-olds. Shiki sits eighth in the order for the 16-horse field with $242,300 in prizemoney, while Agrarian Girl is on the cusp with $165,500. She is 16th but ahead of her are Big Sky (spelling), Eternal Warrior (injured) and Tornado Valley (unlikely to run). Music Time and Closer To Free will jump ahead as late entries, leaving Agrarian Girl seemingly 15th with the final two qualifiers, the Pago Pago and Magic Night Stakes on Saturday, offering two more spots.
By Choice winning on debut at Randwick on December 27.Credit: Getty Images
By Choice ($5) and Lumbini ($13), a Magic Millions Debut Plate winner, contest the Magic Night for fillies and need victory to qualify.
Lumbini was seventh of eight in her comeback from injury in the Sweet Embrace Stakes two weeks ago when By Choice was third, the same result she produced in the Magic Millions Classic. Bott believed Lumbini, with gate one, would improve off that run.
“Lumbini’s was a bit of an interesting run there last start, she was a bit cluttered up and it wasn’t really until late when she got out, that last 100, that she really seemed to stretch out well and was good through the line,” Bott said.
“I think it was probably a better run than it looked, just by the margins and face value. There was certainly merit to it and she’s improved off the run.
“Both his runs, he’s been in the mix, he’s honest like that, so I expect a similar performance.”
Trainer Adrian Bott
“She’d had a while between runs, only the one trial, so I think she’s open to nice improvement.
“By Choice ran up to her Magic Millions run. She did a bit of work there, was beaten and then stuck on well, which is a bit her. She’s going to appreciate high-pressure races, and appreciate a bit further in time.
“She’s been so honest throughout her career, she’s tough, she puts herself up on pace. She’s drawn well to do so again, and she should appreciate getting out to Rosehill.”
In the Pago Pago for colts and geldings, Golden Gift placegetter Plagiarism ($7.50) has another crack at qualifying after finishing a length away fifth in the Skyline Stakes. He was sixth before that in the Inglis Millennium.
“Both his runs, he’s been in the mix, he’s honest like that, so I expect a similar performance,” Bott said.
“He puts himself up on pace. He’s run well at Rosehill before and I’d like to think we are seeing gradual improvement.”
Bott said all three would not only need to win, but also produce “the right performance” to warrant a Slipper start.
The stable also has Drumfire ($23), a Muswellbrook winner on debut, in the Pago Pago, which has Slipper fancies Warwoven ($2.70) and Central Europe ($2.40) atop the market.
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