Team Godolphin has another runner set to line up in the Golden Slipper on March 18 after Corniche proved too strong for his rivals in the Skyline Stakes at Randwick on Saturday afternoon.
The James Cummings-trained colt was given an exceptional ride by Brenton Avdulla, finding the one-one position throughout to stalk the moderate tempo over the 1200m contest.
From there he was able to storm clear of the boys to score an impressive win by 1.5 lengths on the winning post.
He was well found late in the market with online bookmakers as the Godolphin colt firmed into $7 with his form behind Blue Diamond hopeful, Barber, jumping off the page for punters.
All the early support seemed with the Chris Waller-trained Shinzo who opened as short as $2.70, but with all the late money around the eventual winner, started around $3.50. He was by no means disgraced slicing up the inside late to bag second.
The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained, Bases Loaded, got every chance up on speed with next to no pressure put on throughout and ran well holding third position.
2023 Group 3 Skyline Stakes – Corniche
It was all honours the winner however, as Corniche has officially booked his ticket to the Golden Slipper and James Cummings spoke post-race about his colt winning on Saturday and his chances moving forward to the Group 1 two-year-old feature of the Autumn Carnival.
“He's got the ability to put himself right in the race, he enjoyed getting to Randwick and I think the form from Melbourne is excellent,” said a buoyant James Cummings.
“You might think he succumbed late in proceedings in the Blue Diamond Prelude but when you think about it, for Barber to get past him and Little Brose, they're too very smart two-year-olds.
“He is a lovely athletic colt and we'd have to be delighted with that performance, a nice cruisy win in that sort of Group Two heading into the Slipper in three weeks' time.”
Jockey Brenton Avdulla spoke after winning on the colt for team Godolphin and spoke to the fact he was still a maiden, but running into some quality company as of late.
“He gave me a lovely ride,” said Avdulla.
“He's obviously hasn't won a race but he's got the right formlines around that Barber and his run at the (Moonee) Valley was full of merit.
“Every run he's ran into some nice horses and he's now been able to executive everything, go really well for him today.
He spoke to the upside of the colt as well, as Corniche will press on to the Golden Slipper.
“I think he's got a bit because he still does everything quite a bit raw. I wasn't sure really what was under the hood until I got there.
“He was inclined to want to get in and get out, get in and get out so we were still sort of waiting for something and he did it quite comfortable.”
Corniche is a $26 chance for the Golden Slipper with online betting sites.