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By Ray Hickson

Red Resistance may only have four rivals in the Group 2 $300,000 UNSW Todman Stakes (1200m) but it’s a race co-trainer Adrian Bott says is crucial to the colt’s Golden Slipper chances.

Trainer Adrian Bott. (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Pierro in 2012, Vancouver in 2015 and Farnan in 2020 – all Slipper winners for Gai Waterhouse and the latter in partnership with Bott – each faced small fields in their Todman wins prior to claiming the ultimate two-year-old prize.

Bott was loathe to do any comparing with Red Resistance, unbeaten in two starts, but said despite the size of the field it’s up to his youngster to prove himself Slipper material.

“It’s a really important race for him on Saturday,’’ Bott said.

“It’s a great indicator of your chances in the Slipper and a race with a bit of depth.

“He’s doing everything right. He’s got the class and the speed, he’s got a lot of those great two-year-old attributes that sees him be very effective.

“He’s there to run a big race and we want to see him win again and put himself right in contention.”

Red Resistance has led all the way in both his wins and comfortably held King’s Gambit at bay in the Canonbury Stakes (1100m) a month ago. He'll face Silver Slipper winner Cylinder, Breeders' Plate winner Empire Of Japan and impressive debut winners Cafe Millenium and Militarize at Randwick.

He’s on the second line with TAB in betting on the $5 million Longines Golden Slipper, run at Rosehill on March 18, at $7 and was $1.70 favourite on Wednesday to take the Todman.

Since his last win, Red Resistance turned plenty of heads when he ran 45.36 to win a 798m trial out at Warwick Farm with a 31.94 last 600m.

“He had a nice hit out at the trials the other day,’’ Bott said.

“We didn’t go out necessarily wanting to break the clock, I was quite stunned at the time.

“It was only 800m and we wanted a nice sharp hit out, to capitalise on the trial because he was a month between runs and stepping up to 1200m.”

Platinum Jubilee, runner-up in the Silver Slipper, is sitting out the Reisling Stakes with Waterhouse and Bott preferring to trial her ahead of the Golden Slipper.

Last year’s Randwick Guineas winner Converge will be out to put a forgettable spring behind him when he resumes in the Group 1 $600,000 Furphy Canterbury Stakes (1300m).

The four-year-old wasn’t competitive in four runs last campaign but Bott said the signs are there he’s ready to turn things around, especially with a good track underneath him.

Red Resistance wins the Canonbury Stakes

“We made a few excuses for him last campaign,’’ he said.

”Ultimately he may not have come up last spring. He had a busy time of it as a three-year-old 12 months ago and maybe that caught up with him.”

Converge has trialled twice and Bott said the second of those hitouts, a close fourth behind Shades Of Rose on February 20, suggested the gelding is in good shape.

“We’re very happy with him and hopefully we can see a good return,’’ he said.

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