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By Ray Hickson

It’s uncommon for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott to not have a Golden Slipper runner so there’s a little bit riding on the performances of Rise Of The Masses and Celestial Spirit at Rosehill on Saturday.

The training partnership posted their first Golden Slipper win with Farnan in 2020 to go with Waterhouse’s six previous winners and it’s certainly the intention to back up Rise Of The Masses if successful in the Group 3 $175,000 Bowermans Pago Pago Stakes (1200m).

He’s also accepted for Sunday’s Black Opal at Canberra, while an impressive win by Celestial Spirit in the Group 3 $175,000 Cellarbrations Magic Night Stakes (1200m) may twist the trainers’ arms about a Slipper start.

“He’s improving each tine he steps out, with further improvement to come,’’ Bott said of Rise Of The Masses.

“It’d be great to see him get into the race, if he was able to win we’d be keen to back him up.

“He’s versatile in the conditions and I thought it was a good run last start.”

The Russian Revolution colt, $6 with TAB on Friday, won on debut on a heavy track back in December and has been brave after leading in the Pierro Plate, when third, and the Group 2 Skyline Stakes when runner-up to Promitto two weeks ago.

Rise Of The Masses runs second at Randwick on February 26

He sits in the low 30s in the order of entry for next week’s $5m Longines Golden Slipper so a win is the only result that will see him force into the field.

“All his runs have been very encouraging so if he improves off the back of that last run as he’s expected to do he’ll be right in this,’’ Bott said.

“He’s always been one of our better colts, or more natural two-year-old colts, he’s still piecing it all together and has the potential to get out over a bit further in time too.”

The filly Celestial Spirit holds an entry for the Slipper but Bott suspects she might be more effective when the races get a little longer further into the carnival.

She won on debut at Scone on a heavy track back in early December then finished fourth at Doomben behind Golden Artie and a Magic Millions preparation was aborted.

“We didn’t necessarily see her as a Golden Slipper filly, it’d be hard to say if she was to win she’d be backing up, but she will improve when she can get over 1400m and to a mile,’’ he said.

“We had this race in mind as a kick off race for her and no doubt that trip away will be of benefit to her and she looks like she’s in good shape.”

The Sydney arm of Godolphin has Ojai safely into the Golden Slipper and James Cummings is giving Magic Carpet her chance in the Magic Night after an eye-catching third at Canterbury two weeks ago.

The Lonhro filly finished less than two lengths behind Rise Of The Masses in the Pierro Plate then attacked the line behind Nipotino on a heavy track second-up.

“We were satisfied with her Canterbury performance, considering the wide alley. She chased really hard,’’ Cummings said.

“She’s drawn gate one and if she is able to make the most of it, she’s shown enough ability to be in the mix.”

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