Straight Shorts is a rolling news update service on the biggest stories in racing, wagering and breeding. Today's coverage starts with a shock Golden Slipper development after Todman Stakes winner Tentyris' campaign comes to an end. Hugh Bowman has snared a Slipper ride while apprentice Rochelle Milnes is the toast of Adelaide racing.

Rivellino
Unbeaten colt Rivellino will have a new rider in the Golden Slipper. (Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images)

Tentyris injured in Todman win, will miss Slipper

Tentyris is out of the Golden Slipper after the Godolphin colt injured himself in a last-to-first win in the Todman Stakes.

Runner-up in the Blue Diamond Stakes in February, Tenytris further underlined his potential in the Todman, a key lead-up to the Golden Slipper.

But the Anthony and Sam Freedman stable says Tentyris suffered an injury to his left hind leg that has ended his juvenile campaign.

“This is very disappointing for the horse and his connections,” a stable statement said.

“He is a very exciting colt going forward and we look forward to have him back for the 2025 spring carnival.

Silent Surrente claims Adelaide Cup

Apprentice Rochelle Milnes has upstaged some of Australia’s best jockeys to win the Group 2 Adelaide Cup on Silente Surrente.

Milnes, who has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the Adelaide riding ranks, sent Silent Surrente forward before taking the mare to the front after 1400m.

From there, she turned the race into a true staying test and Silent Surrente, a daughter of the 2013 Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente, held out Jamie Melham’s mount Newfoundland with topweight Grand Pierro finishing third at Morphettville.

“Ideally, I would have liked to have already been in front (earlier) or to be up above with some nice cover,” Milnes said.

“So, look, I was a little bit worried early, but, you know, she proved me right, and she just kept on kicking.”

Milnes leads the Adelaide jockeys' premiership, thanks to support from Silent Surrente’s co-trainers Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea and their dominant South Australian stable.

Clarken deflected most of the credit for Silent Surrente’s win to his training partner.

“My name's in the book, but Niki really trains this horse,” Clarken said.

“He's just done a wonderful job from the time it got to the stable. He sort of nurtures it, he rides it - all his own work.”

Silent Surrente is the third stakes winner for the Face Value broodmare Silent Surround, herself successful at black-type level in claiming the 2009 SAJC Sires’ Produce Stakes.

A half-brother to Silent Surrente by Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside will be offered at the 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Hugh Bowman secures prized Golden Slipper ride

Hong Kong-based jockey Hugh Bowman will ride unbeaten colt Rivellino in the $5 million Golden Slipper.

Trainer Kris Lees confirmed Bowman’s booking on Monday via a social media post.

Rivellino will go into the Slipper with an unblemished record from three starts, including victories in the $2 million Inglis Millennium and the Skyline Stakes.

Jason Collett rode Rivellino in the Skyline as part of a Golden Slipper lead-up double that included his win on Within The Law in the Sweet Embrace Stakes.

James McDonald was in the saddle in the Inglis Millennium.

Within The Law is a $9 Golden Slipper chance while Rivellino is on the next line of betting at $11.

Bowman won the 2020 Golden Slipper on Farnan.

Rowe On Monday - Studs circling Rivellino, no jetlag with Feroce and Rosemont pulls right rein
In this edition of Rowe On Monday, Tim Rowe finds out how many studs are chasing unbeaten juvenile Rivellino. He also chats to the British-based part-owner of Feroce and provides an insight into the early response to Henry Longfellow, a newcomer to the Australian stallion ranks in 2025.
The StraightTim Rowe

Nervous wait ahead for King Of Pop connections

Trainer Gerald Ryan is in no doubt King Of Pop is good enough to run in a Golden Slipper.

Whether the unbeaten colt gets the chance to showcase his obvious talent in the $5 million race remains to be seen.

King Of Pop made it two wins from as many starts in beating Farcited in the $200,000 Black Opal Stakes at Canberra on Sunday.

It was a Group 3 quinella for Kia Ora Stud’s first-season sire Farnan after both youngsters were scratched from the Todman Stakes at Randwick on Saturday to be saved for Canberra’s most important race.

Gerald Ryan
Gerald Ryan trained his fourth Black Opal Stakes winner when King Of Pop took out the Group 3 race in Canberra. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

Ryan captured his fourth Black Opal, sharing his latest success with co-trainer Sterling Alexiou.

But the stable will be heavily invested in a waiting game to see if King Of Pop can make the field after firming from $34 to $21 for the Slipper with a track record win.

"The horse has been ticking over really good and taking his time, it'll be great if he can get into the Golden Slipper," Ryan said.

"I'm not sure if he's got enough (prize) money to do that but I've always had him down as a Slipper horse so hopefully we can get there.

King Of Pop's stablemate Sanctified finished third.

King Of Pop is 17th in the latest Slipper order of entry with $154,900 in earnings.

There will be two more ballot-exempt races to be run at Rosehill on Saturday.

History repeats - Kia Ora counts on Farnan factor in Todman
Farnan’s reputation as a first-season sire on the move continues to grow with the 2020 Golden Slipper winner returning Kia Ora Stud to the stallion limelight.
The StraightWarwick Barr

Valuable colt Return To Conquer put on ice after Group 1 win

The spelling paddock beckons for New Zealand’s best two-year-old Return to Conquer.

A son of Snitzel owned by a high-powered Te Akau Racing syndicate that includes Australian stud Kia Ora, Return To Conquer stayed unbeaten with his narrow victory in the Group 1 Sistema Stakes at Ellerslie on Saturday.

After watching Return To Conquer hold off Landlocked in a photo finish for jockey Blake Shinn, trainer Mark Walker wasn’t ruling out a Golden Slipper start.

“We are open to the idea but he is still a young horse, still developing and growing so we will enjoy today and regroup,” he said.

“He has a great temperament, is bombproof and he is unbeaten for a reason as he has the will to win.”

However, Te Akau principal David Ellis on Monday ruled out a trip to Sydney for the $1.3 Gold Coast Magic Millions yearling.

In a milestone moment, Return To Conquer’s fourth straight win also brought up Te Akau’s 100th Group 1 success.

Return To Conquer was No.8 in the latest Golden Slipper order of entry and his defection will create some breathing space for borderline starters.

Plenty left in NZ Derby winner: Clotworthy

Co-trainer Shaun Clotworthy is confident New Zealand Derby winner Willydoit still has more to give in Australia this campaign.

And in a huge vote of confidence in Clotworthy and his wife Emma, Willydoit will make an ATC Australian Derby bid from their stable

As part of the sale agreement earlier this season, Willydoit was expected to join Ciaron Maher’s team after contesting the New Zealand Derby for an ownership group that includes micro share syndicator Myracehorse.

But as the dust settled on Willydoit’s Ellerslie triumph, it’s been revealed Clotworthy and his wife Emma, who remains a part-owner, will prepare the three-year-old for Sydney.

“We have decided there is no point sending him to Ciaron and taking the risk he doesn’t settle straight away in since the Derby is so close,” Clotworthy told the New Zealand Herald.

“So we will be training him for the (Australian) Derby if he goes there, which at this stage I think he will.

“I think there’s still petrol in the tank for an (ATC) Australian Derby. We’ll see how he pulls up from this, but he’s a pretty good horse.”

Willydoit enhanced Tarzino’s reputation as a classic sire. 

The Westbury Stud stallion has now been represented by three Group 1 winners with Willydoit joining Jungle Magnate (South Australian Derby) and Gypsy Goddess (Queensland Oaks) as banner horses for the 2015 Victoria Derby winner.

Racing Queensland issues updated racing schedule

Racing will resume in southeast Queensland this week, but the remnants of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred continue to impact scheduling.

A meeting set down for Eagle Farm on Tuesday has been moved to include an 11-race card as a replacement fixture for Doomben on Wednesday.

Additional races will be added to the Eagle Farm meeting on Saturday.

Distance changes have also been made to three races at Ipswich on Thursday with the track rated in the heavy range.

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