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By Ray Hickson

There’s no doubt from co-trainer Sterling Alexiou that promising youngster Skyhook won’t be out of place in the Golden Slipper.

Trainer Sterling Alexiou

The problem is he has to win Saturday’s Group 3 $250,000 TAB Pago Pago Stakes (1200m), and pull up well, to get his chance in the world’s richest two-year-old race.

That’s what is needed after luck deserted the colt in the Skyline Stakes two weeks ago where he was narrowly beaten by Rivellino with Alexiou, who co-trains with Gerald Ryan, adamant he should have won.

“If he’d have got that run when it was there, prior to Adam (Hyeronimus on Shaggy) rolling in, I suspect he wins that race nine times out of ten,’’ Alexiou said.

“For a horse that had had one start leading into that and one trial, he lost his momentum and balance and picked himself up and regained composure and still finished off as well as anything in the race, it augurs well for a handy future.

“We were hoping going into the Skyline the other day we wouldn’t have to be in the position we are now.”

While finishing second didn’t put Skyhook in the Slipper field it did put him on the radar and he’s a $21 chance with TAB in Saturday week’s feature.

Alexiou said the colt has done nothing but take steps forward and can only hope he’s given every chance, from a draw that shouldn’t see him cluttered up, to emerge as a Slipper contender.

“He seemed to come through his run really well the other day,’’ he said.

“He’s a young, inexperienced, horse who improves every time he steps out and he’s always shown a good deal of ability.

“I imagine from a decent barrier he’s going to go a long way to getting the run of the race. If he can continue to progress as we expect he should be very hard to beat.”

Shinzo (2023) is the last horse to win the Slipper on the one week back up from taking out the Pago Pago and if Skyhook, $4 with TAB on Wednesday, wins then Alexiou said given the mix of results this year he’ll likely get his chance.

“A seven day back up with two-year-olds is never ideal, especially in their first preparation,’’ he said.

“But it’s the sort of year where if he comes through the Pago well and was assured of lining up you’d have to give monumental consideration to running him.”

Stablemate Good Hotspur shouldn’t be overlooked, according to Alexiou, after suffering his own bunch of bad luck in his last start fourth behind Strada Varenna at Canterbury.

The colt had to make a sustained run wide on the track and did more than enough to suggest a race like the Baillieu at 1400m in two weeks is ideal for him.

“I thought he raced particularly well,’’ he said.

“He didn’t draw ideal for a Canterbury night where the rail was out. He had to make his run a long way from home and come widest and I thought he finished off well.

“We’ve got something to work with and as he starts to step out in trip and gains confidence and race awareness he could be a handy customer.”

Form around Reisling runner-up Marhoona reads well for Dream Side’s chances in the Group 3 $250,000 Racing And Sports Magic Night Stakes (1200m) and Alexiou says the filly has her share of promise.

She was on debut when she ran into second, the co-trainer conceding she had to do less work than the winner, and has been pleasing in her work.

Skyhook runs second at Randwick on March 1

“She’s a nice filly who has drawn well, we have a few yardsticks around in terms of (Black Opal winner) King Of Pop and Skyhook and her work is right up there with theirs,’’ he said.

“As long as she handles the day well, and is afforded a nice run, she can be right in the finish.”

Sterling Alexiou on Eagle Nest (race 7): “She’s just happened to draw diabolically in a race that there looks a lot of speed and pressure. She likes to get to the front and dictate and it looks like they are going to make her earn it. We’ve had a bit of luck riding her back in previous runs and she’s hit the line well albeit she hasn’t won but we’ll have a think about it.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s meeting at Rosehill