Hinchinbrook's reputation as one of the Golden Slipper favourites may have been severely dented by Brightexpectations in the Pago Pago Stakes but there is still plenty of upside for trainer Gerald Ryan.The addition of blinkers, the experience of racing at Rosehill over the 1200m and the likelihood of high pressure and genuine speed are the among the factors giving Ryan hope of a form reversal in the $3.5 million Golden Slipper.Hinchinbrook was the highest rated colt in Slipper betting going into
Hinchinbrook's reputation as one of the Golden Slipper favourites may have been severely dented by Brightexpectations in the Pago Pago Stakes but there is still plenty of upside for trainer Gerald Ryan.
The addition of blinkers, the experience of racing at Rosehill over the 1200m and the likelihood of high pressure and genuine speed are the among the factors giving Ryan hope of a form reversal in the $3.5 million Golden Slipper.
Hinchinbrook was the highest rated colt in Slipper betting going into last weekend but he finished a distant third to the impressive Brightexpectations who he had beaten a fortnight earlier.
On Saturday he will be allowed to find his feet back in the field and be saved for one dash at the line in the straight.
Blinkers have been applied to help him concentrate.
And Hong Kong-based Darren Beadman has flown in to partner him for the first time in the world's richest two-year-old race.
"He hasn't missed a beat this week," Ryan said.
"He's fit and well and he seems bright in himself.
"The way he has done this week I'm glad I ran him last week.
"But that's going into the Slipper, it might be a different story afterwards."
Five years ago Ryan went into the Slipper with Hinchinbrook's three-quarter-brother Snitzel. He'd won four from five and was the Slipper favourite but things didn't go right and he finished 12th.
Nine years earlier Ryan trained Paint to finish second to Merlene in an eventful Slipper.
"I reckon he (Hinchinbrook) is probably going into it with a better preparation because he's been aimed at it and it certainly hasn't been an afterthought," the trainer said.
"He trialled in the early part of the season and then we put him out and brought him back in to start work in mid November.
"He did four weeks pre-training and then came into the stables and we have never rushed him.
"If we win on Saturday then obviously we've done the right thing.
"Paint started racing in January and went across to Adelaide and then back to Melbourne and then to Canberra - he went everywhere.
Snitzel, Ryan said, had also pretty much been up since he won the Breeders Plate and he also had a trip to Queensland.
"When he came home from Queensland (after the Magic Millions) in hindsight he probably only had one good run left in him and that was probably the Skyline where he ran a record," he said.
"And Melito last year was on her first preparation. She came into work in December and raced through."
The trainer has watched replays of recent Slippers and was amazed how many horses have run well coming from back in the field.
He just hopes the speed on paper actually eventuates on race day.