Bott sees big improver and redemption runs amid mixed Slipper fortunes

1 month ago 15

By Craig Kerry

January 30, 2026 — 5.00pm

Trainer Adrian Bott expects his runners across all three features at Rosehill on Saturday to better handle the heat of race-day pressure as Tulloch Lodge takes stock of its Golden Slipper contenders.

Bott and co-trainer Gai Waterhouse will strive for a third consecutive victory in two-year-old fillies group 3, the Widden Stakes (1100m), when Miss Chanel ($6.50) tries to improve on a debut third two weeks ago at the track.

The famous stable has also captured two of the past three Canonbury Stakes, the colts and geldings equivalent, and will have Eviction Notice ($3.80) returning from a spell following a fading seventh in the Breeders Plate in October.

Eviction Notice was well held when second in two trials since and remains Waterhouse’s equal best chance with TAB, at $26 alongside By Choice and Knightsbridge, to add to her record eight Golden Slippers on March 21. Breeders Plate runner-up I’m Ya Huckleberry and Golden Gift winner Revengeance were not among second nominations on January 15 because of injuries.

By Choice, Knightsbridge and Shiki finished third, fifth and seventh respectively in the Magic Millions Classic, while Lady Moscato was second in the MM Debut. Bott said all had come back from Queensland “in good shape, so we’ll see them pick their marks over the course”. He said Lumbini, scratched from the MM Classic with lameness, was back in the stable after a short break.

“We’ll see her at the trials and then decide where she’s at,” Bott said.

Bott hopes Eviction Notice can handle the occasion better on Saturday and put himself in the frame for the $5 million Slipper.

“I think he’s come back a more seasoned horse mentally and physically,” Bott said.

“I think the day, the occasion got to him a bit there. He didn’t execute the race as we would have liked.

“He did go into the race well fancied, on the back of a strong trial. Obviously, we had a good opinion of him going into it, as did the market.

“This is obviously his opportunity to make amends on that and prove he can produce those types of performances under race-day pressure.

Adam Hyeronimus on The Instructor after winning the Luskin Star Stakes at Scone last May. Hyeronimus is aboard him again on Saturday in the JRA Plate at Rosehill.

“[In trials] I wanted to harness his speed and his energy. Just make sure he’s doing things in the correct way … so I thought he’s been doing a good job with that.”

In the Widden Stakes, he hoped a firm track would bring out the best in Miss Chanel, which was 1.75 lengths off the winner on a soft 7 Rosehill track on debut.

“She was just naturally a little bit lost there on debut, she seemed to float a bit in the straight,” he said.

“But I don’t think she was entirely at home or comfortable on that ground either, so that might have been a big factor.

“She’s showing good improvement for the experience and taking benefit in terms of her fitness. She’s one we can see being a big improver.”

In the other group 3, the JRA Plate (1200m), Bott has The Instructor ($4.20) trying to bounce back from a seventh in the MM Snippets (1200m).

“I thought his first up run was excellent,” Bott said of the close second to King’s Secret at Canterbury.

“He carried a bit more weight there and it may have just taken its toll on him more than anticipated. With the trip up to Queensland and the hot conditions of the day, he may not have handled it.

“It’s a relatively quick turnaround here once again, but I do think he’s bounced back really well.”

Temperatures at Rosehill are expected to reach 33 degrees.

Bathurst meeting abandoned after fall

Jockey Adrian Layt was taken to hospital with ‘neck discomfort’, and the rest of the meeting abandoned because of the state of the track, after a fall in the first race at Bathurst on Friday.

Layt was rounding the home bend on Gary Nickson-trained Sharbino when the three-year-old filly slipped badly and fell in the 1400m maiden plate. The horse appeared to have escaped serious injury when getting back to its feet and running down the straight.

Racing NSW reported that Layt was experiencing neck discomfort and was to be transported to hospital for further examination.

Stewards then inspected the track, rated a Good 4 amid temperatures soaring into the mid-30s, and consulted a delegation of senior riders before deeming the surface unsuitable for racing. The remaining seven races were abandoned.