Golden Slipper favourite heads Skyline Stakes entries

Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott missed out on the Blue Diamond by a short-head and provided the Silver Slipper Stakes quinella last Saturday, but they will produce their No 1 Golden Slipper seed this weekend.

Storm Boy’s anticipated return to the races will take place in Saturday’s $300,000 Group 2 Skyline Stakes at Randwick.

The 1200-metre event will be Storm Boy’s first start since obliterating his rivals in the $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic on January 13.

The son of Justify, who scored a 6-1/4-length trial win at Rosehill on February 15, is accompanied among the Skyline Stakes entries by Prost, a Snitzel colt who was a first-up winner of the Group 3 Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on February 3.

“Storm Boy and Prost will take their place (next week),” Bott said.

“Storm Boy has trialled up excellent and Prost, he was an impressive last-start impressive winner.

“They’re in great shape and I’m looking forward to having them both back at the track.”

Anode is also among the Skyline Stakes, but not guaranteed to take his place alongside his stablemates, while the James Cummings-trained Parkour and Ciaron Maher’s Odinson are among the others entered.

Storm Boy heads Golden Slipper betting from the Chris Waller-trained Switzerland ($7) with Waterhouse/Bott youngsters the next five with Aussie betting sites.

Straight Charge and Espionage, who were the first two home in the Silver Slipper, share the third line of betting from Lady Of Camelot, who was nabbed in the final couple of strides in the Blue Diamond, with Shangri La Express and Fully Lit next in line.

Lady Of Camelot’s Blue Diamond conqueror, Hayasugi, is next in the market, marginally in advance of Prost.

Waterhouse and Bott also have Too Darn Lizzie and Chateau Miraval entered for Saturday’s $300,000 Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m), but despite fillies filling the first four in the Blue Diamond, Bott remains convinced the colts are holding the aces this year.

“I think the colts have got more depth and are stronger this year,” Bott said.