3 minute read
Jockey Regan Bayliss says promising colt Shangri La Express is very much your typical tough, and well educated, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott youngster.
So it comes as no surprise he's not concerned about having to overcome some adversity in Saturday's $1 million Inglis Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill as he chases his second rich race within the week.
Shangri La Express made an impressive debut with a slick win in the Kirkham Plate (1000m) three weeks ago and Regan Bayliss said he takes confidence from knowing how the Tulloch Lodge two-year-olds are prepared.
"You know what you're going to get, they are tough individuals,'' Bayliss said.
"Gai and Adrian have had a great start, picked up right where they left off last season with their two-year-olds.
"I think they have a very strong crop this year."
Waterhouse and Bott prepared the winners of 37 two-year-old races last year and have already won three of the five city juvenile races this season and finished second in the other two.
Bayliss, who won Tuesday's $3 million Big Dance on Attractable, is adamant there's more improvement in the colt on the back of his debut win.
The son of Alabama Express, $2.25 with TAB on Thursday, went into the Kirkham with one barrier trial under his belt but was still professional in how he executed his race.
He's not afraid of jumping from near the outside, given the pace he showed in his first outing.
"He's a very talented colt, he's always shown a lot of ability and he put the writing on the wall a couple of weeks back in the Kirkham,'' Bayliss said.
"He won impressively there and you'd think he would only improve with the run.
"He would have switched on a lot from that run so I don't think the barrier poses a massive threat to him. We'll just work it out but we'll definitely flow forward on him.
"He can just use his speed and come across and get into a rhythm, he's going to be hard to beat.
"He's a tough horse and with a very good turn of foot."
The Golden Gift winner can start making plans for the 2024 Golden Slipper with the $580,000 first prizemoney more than enough to ensure a start in the $5 million two-year-old classic.
Shangri La Express shares the top line in all-in Slipper betting at $15 with TAB alongside the Peter and Paul Snowden trained Maribyrnong Trial winner Bodyguard.
An improved second-up performance has Bayliss quietly confident Russian Conquest can make her presence felt in the Group 2 $500,000 James Squire Hot Danish Stakes (1400m).
Bayliss was on board first-up when he felt the Snowden mare was outsprinted in the Nivison before she was run down near the line by Gringotts at Randwick two weeks ago.
"She ran super second-up and she's much better at the seven furlongs which she showed last start,'' he said.
"It's come up a winnable race for her, she's third-up and going to be peaking on Saturday. I think she will run very well."
