Astern Leads 2YO Team Towards Golden Slipper

The brilliant colt Astern will be out to confirm his lofty status among the current crop of Australian two-year-olds when he runs in the G2 Todman Stakes at Randwick on Saturday March 5.

Astern (John O'Shea/James McDonald) is one of a trio of Godolphin youngsters who will be using Saturday's meeting as their final lead-up to the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes, with all three holding strong claims in the premier juvenile event.

Joining Astern in the Todman is Tessera (John O'Shea/Hugh Bowman) who like his stablemate is unbeaten.

The team is completed by Calliope (John O'Shea/James McDonald) in the G2 Reisling Stakes for fillies.

"We're hoping to run all three in the Golden Slipper and based on what we've seen, they would all have their chance in it," said trainer John O'Shea.

Astern has long been the stable's leading juvenile having shown an ability to combine speed and tenacity, qualities he will need this time around in what is the best two-year-old race run in Australia this season.

"It was very comforting to see him do it at both ends last start," O'Shea said.

"He went into that race with plenty of improvement in him so it was great to see him come through the race as strongly as he did.

"On what he's done at home since then, I'm content that he's where I want him to be in terms of Saturday and for the Slipper in two weeks."

Like Astern, Tessera has a two-from-two record with both his wins suggesting he is a colt of considerable ability.

"He put the writing on the wall in his first start and ran right up to it last time out," O'Shea said.

"He's drawn the inside on Saturday which gives him every chance. I'm expecting him to run right up to the form he's shown so far."

The Godolphin pair, both sons of Medaglia d'Oro, are confronted in the Todman by the highly-talented Capitalist, a winner at each of his three starts, and Weatherly, an impressive, last-start winner in Listed company in Melbourne.

Calliope will also be attempting to prove herself worthy of a Golden Slipper start and to make amends for her recent fifth placing at G2 level in Melbourne.

"She didn't really handle the left-handed direction in Melbourne, but she's settled back into Sydney very well," O'Shea said.

"We all know how much ability she's got and I won't be surprised to see her show it on Saturday."

Godolphin also has a strong hand in the day's two G1 events with Holler (John O'Shea/James McDonald) to run in the Canterbury Stakes and Etymology (John O'Shea/Tommy Berry) and Shards (John O'Shea/James McDonald) in the Randwick Guineas.

Holler meets some high-class opposition in the Canterbury Stakes, but O'Shea believes he can hold his own.

"They are some of the best horses in the country, but this is a great distance for him and he can be very had to get past under the right conditions," he said.

"He found the 1400m too far in Melbourne last start, but he's done very well since coming back to Sydney and he has good form at Randwick."

Etymology will be using the 1600m of the Randwick Guineas as a guide to longer races later on.

"He's getting up to a trip that's more to his liking. I was happy with his run last start and we'll be looking for him to show more on Saturday," he said.

The classy three-year-old filly Ottoman (John O'Shea/James McDonald) takes a substantial step up in grade when she tackles older horses in the G2 Challenge Stakes, but her trainer is satisfied she deserves the opportunity.

"I don't think there are many three-year-old fillies going as well as she is right now," he said.

"She showed great form at this time last year and I'm happy to step her up to this grade against the older opposition."

Godolphin's stakes-race team at Randwick on Saturday is completed by Alegria (John O'Shea/James McDonald) and Monogram (John O'Shea/Craig Williams) in the G3 Aspiration Quality, Allergic (John O'Shea/James McDonald) in the Listed Randwick City Stakes and Furnaces (John O'Shea/James McDonald) in the Listed Fireball Stakes.