The jigsaw of getting the right fit for the Golden Slipper has had another twist with the threat of another bottomless track at Randwick on Saturday.

Godolphin trainer John O'Shea, like many, kept his options open given the likelihood of heavy ground for Saturday's Todman Stakes, in which Veranillo will be his only runner.  It means the boys in blue have two runners in the Black Opal as Trekking is to head to Canberra along with Marsupial on Sunday.

"It has been a disjointed start to the carnival and you just have to work it out the best you can. What is the best way to go with these two-year-olds has become very tricky," O'Shea said. "It is a case of needing to get it right and in the case of Trekking, the barriers help make the decision for us."

The Street Cry colt, which won his only start in December, drew gate 12 in the Todman and barrier two for the Black Opal. 

"It is fair to say he was one of our best two-year-olds early on, but we have had a little setback with him at the beginning of this preparation," O'Shea said. "Ideally I would have liked to get another run into him leading into this but you play the cards you have been dealt.

"He has been working brilliantly and if he can run in the first two it should be enough to get him into the Slipper, which is where we want to be."
O'Shea is also expecting Marsupial to run well at Canberra after failing to handle Caulfield in the Blue Diamond Prelude.

"He just never got around that place and is much better than that," he said. 

It leaves Veranillo as Godolphin's only runner in the two-year-old races at Randwick and he has had the benefit of the right preparation. He won the Lonhro Plate first-up before chasing home Golden Slipper favourite She Will Reign in the Silver Slipper two weeks ago. 

"He was a bit overweight when we went to the Lonhro Plate but he was good enough to win and then he was brave last time and has continued to improve," O'Shea said. "I'm pretty sure he will like the toe in the ground being by a Medaglia d'Oro."

Away from the two-year-olds, O'Shea is confident three-year-old Impending will improve from his first-up failure. He steps to weight-for-age group 1 grade in the Canterbury Stakes along with Hauraki, which resumes.

"He got into the worst part of the ground first-up and I think you will see a different horse on Saturday," O'Shea said. "He didn't have the blinkers on in that run and they worked pretty well when we put them in the Stan Fox Stakes in the spring.

"I think you are going to see a big improvement from him.

"Hauraki is just one of those horses that you love because he turns up and runs a great race every time.

"It was good to see him get that group 1 in the Epsom and with a touch of luck he could have had a couple more.

"He has won first-up at seven furlongs [1400 metres] and he is another that likes the ground."

O'Shea has opted to bring Malaise back to Sydney because of the wet forecast and has booked Zac Purton for the Randwick Guineas.

"We've brought him up here to Sydney with the prospect of a wet track. He's a progressive young horse who we've thought quite highly of," O'Shea said. "He's had a good foundation, I'm sure the mile at Randwick will suit him, he'll take up a position and he's a horse who can be in the finish."

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