STORM BOY SAUNTERS IN TO CLAIM THE GROUP 2 SKYLINE STAKES WITH EXPECTED EASE

By Graham Potter | Saturday, March 2, 2024

Storm Boy did exactly what was expected of him at Randwick on Saturday, easily defending his unbeaten record when saluting in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes, accounting for his stable-companion, runner-up Prost by 1.38 lengths.

Some might have wanted to see more of a demolition job than they witnessed, but this was just a stepping stone for the ultra-highly valued colt on his way to the $4.9 million Golden Slipper on March 23.

There were no less than 340 nominations for the Golden Slipper and the connections of Storm Boy would, understandably, not swop places with any one of them, although whether he deserves to be as short a price as $2.40 at the moment (it is $8 bar one) might be a point of some debate, given the opposition has not been finalised and the barrier draw is still a long way away.

Co-trainer Adrain Bott and jockey James McDonald were suitably thrilled by both Storm Boy’s performance and prospects moving forward, but there are a few pieces of the puzzle still to fall into place in the coming weeks, most notably who will be booked to ride Storm Boy in the Golden Slipper.

McDonald had relived Adam Hyeronimus of that job after Hyeronimus had partnered Storm Boy in the Group 3 Bruce McLachlan and the $2 million Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic ... Tim Clark is the other jockey to have ridden Storm Boy in a race, winning aboard him on debut ... but with the colt being purchased by Coolmore in a mega-million dollar deal, the jockey situation has become more fluid.

Ryan Moore, who has ridden over 170 Group 1 winners in all corners of the world, is Coolmore’s first choice jockey and you can expect that Coolmore will make the call on Storm Boy’s jockey for the Golden Slipper.

Coolmore will, in fact, be looking for back-to-back wins in the Golden Slipper having triumphed with Shinzo last year.

Quite incredibly, Shinzo was still a Maiden when he raced in and won the Group 3 Pago Pago under James McDonald, just seven days before the 2023 Golden Slipper ... and a week later he was a Golden Slipper winner, without McDonald.

McDonald went on to ride the 2023 Golden Slipper favourite Cylinder (a $3.40 chance) while, in spite of the short turnaround, Ryan Moore got a call up at short notice to ride Shinzo, who started as a $16 chance.

“We asked Ryan Moore to come out and ride Shinzo at short notice and what can you say about him. Thank God for Ryan Moore, he is on another level,” said Coolmore’s Tom Magnier after Coolmore’s landmark Slipper success.

McDonald, for his part, has made it quite clear that he will ride Storm Boy in the Slipper if given that opportunity. He has put his hand up ... but can only wait on Coolmore’s decision.

And as for Storm Boy, the Waterhouse / Bott stables and the colt’s connections ambition does not stop the Golden Slipper.

All being well, an attempt to land the two-year-old Triple Crown ... the Golden Slipper (1200m), the Inglis Sires (over 1400m) and the Champagne Stakes (over 1600m) could be on the cards for Storm Boy.

If he goes there, Storm Boy would be trying to emulate the Gai Waterhouse trained Dance Hero who won the Triple Crown in 2004 ... the only Magic Millions Two-year-old winner to have achieved that feat to date.

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