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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Annabel Neasham can make a case for any of her youngsters engaged at Rosehill to make a Golden Slipper statement in Saturday’s two-year-old features.

Trainer Annabel Neasham (Pic: Grant Guy)

Sweet Ride and Flashing Steel, who ran first and third on debut at Rosehill two weeks ago, were set to clash again in the Group 3 $160,000 Fujitsu General Canonbury Stakes (1100m) but the former has had to be scratched with a vet certificate.

Mumbai Jewel and eye-catcher Sweet Vengeance tackle the Group 3 $160,000 Widden Stakes (1100m).

It’s seven weeks until the $5m Longines Golden Slipper and Neasham said each of her trio will have their chance to announce themselves as contenders.

The flashy Sweet Ride led all the way on debut over the 1100m and before his scratching Neasham thought stablemate Flashing Steel may have the advantage given a more favourable draw.

Flashing Steel produced the race’s fastest last 600m of 35.16 (Punter’s Intelligence) when running into third behind Sweet Ride.

The $1 million yearling was a $10 chance with TAB on Friday, he drew the inside in the Canonbury and that will likely lead to a more positive ride.

“He’s very talented and wasn’t suited by the way the race was run,’’ she said.

“We went back from a wide gate and the race was slowly run so it made it hard for him to come over the top.

“He was a bit green and if he’s taken improvement we can ride him closer from a good draw.”

Neasham seems to have a slight leaning to Smart Vengeance ($26) over Mumbai Jewel ($11) in the Widden but that largely stems from the former having the benefit of a run.

And it was a slashing effort to finish fourth against the colts, 2-1/2 lengths behind Sweet Ride, after turning last. She produced that race’s fastest last 200m of 11.89.

“She ran against the track bias and came from back last,’’ Neasham said.

“We thought she would race on speed that day because we’ve been trying to get her to relax as she’s been doing things a bit upside down.

“In the end it worked out well she learned more doing what she did. I think if she takes that natural improvement she might have the edge on some of these in that she’s had a run.”

Mumbai Jewel is one of four fillies in the Widden to have some ‘Coolangatta form’ through her debut fifth in the Gimcrack Stakes back in the spring.

The Warwick Farm trainer was rapt with that performance given she conceded a start after drawing wide but she’ll be relying on a bit of luck again from a sticky barrier.

Sweet Ride wins at Rosehill on January 15

“She’s a lovely big filly who I have a lot of time for, she’s trialled up well and I think she will be pretty competitive if she can get any luck,’’ she said.

“Hughie (Bowman) was very taken with her when he rode her in the Gimcrack. Whatever she does on Saturday she’s going to improve on.”

In her first season as a trainer Neasham produced a Golden Slipper runner in Queen Of Wizardry and with the likes of Man In The Mirror and Lady Laguna still to return she could at least match that feat in her second.

“At this early stage prior to the autumn any horse that has won a Saturday two-year-old race has got to be in the frame,’’ she said.

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