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By Ray Hickson

If Golden Slipper favourite Coolangatta is the two-year-old benchmark at the moment then Adrian Bott is more than hopeful Pantonario can begin to the close the margin at Kensington on Saturday.

Trainer Adrian Bott. (Pic: Bradley Photos).

There was almost four lengths separating the fillies in the Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) back on October 2 but Pantonario always gave Bott and Gai Waterhouse the impression she was nowhere near the finished product.

Bott said ahead of the Ranvet Handicap (1150m) the Not A Single Doubt youngster is in a better place to confirm the strength of the Coolangatta form and set up a potential Magic Millions clash.

“It stood up well the other day (with Coolangatta winning),’’ Bott said.

“If we’ve done a bit to bridge that gap it brings her into the mix if we can get her up there.

“We’ve seen improvement from her off the back of what we saw in the Gimcrack. She’s strengthened up.

“There was a lot to like about her run that day. They ran good time, she led them up and I thought she stuck on well.”

While the $5 million Longines Golden Slipper is still over three months away, Pantonario can earn a face off with Coolangatta in the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast in two weeks.

She was a $6.50 chance in the opener at Kensington with TAB on Friday with Jean Van Overmeire taking the ride.

“A win on Saturday is vital for (the Magic Millions),’’ Bott said.

“All is not lost if she doesn’t make it up to the Magic Millions because she is a quality filly who will make her presence felt in the autumn.

“The last couple of weekends have been fields of plenty of depth and Saturday is no different. So she is going to have to be well and truly at her best but it will give us a good gauge on where she sits.”

From the inside alley Bott expects Pantonario to be prominent in the run and on the back of two barrier trials says she should be strong at the finish.

“She’s got the tactical speed to be able to take advantage of the barrier. We’ll look to capitalise,’’ he said.

A small step up in distance is expected to serve Snitzonfire well in the Petaluma Handicap (1300m) after the three-year-old found 1200m a bit sharp in two starts since a win on the Kensington track back in October.

He hasn’t been able to find the lead in his past two runs though has been beaten a length or less in both races including his third in the Wyong Magic Millions behind Wisdom Of Water.

“Naturally stepping up in trip will help, he’s getting to a more suitable trip,” Bott said.

“The couple of runs at 1200m have been unsuitable, 1300m is not quite there yet and I think 1400m is where he will be most effective but it should be a better set up for him.

Pantonario win a trial at Rosehill on December 14

“He’s been running well and hopefully he can bounce back.”

For Valour is enjoying a successful preparation with three wins from his last four starts and Bott believes the key to his chances at Kensington is finding his distance sweet spot.

A last start winner over 1550m at Canterbury, the gelding stays at that trip in the ACY Securities Handicap and was a $5 chance with TAB on Friday.

“We tried stretching him out because he’s such a laid back customer he gave the indication he‘d get a bit further,’’ he said.

“We dropped him back in trip and we immediately saw him come back to the winner’s stall. Remaining at that distance again we would expect him to be very competitive.”

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