Gai Waterhouse and co-trainer Adrian Bott are giving promising colts Introducing and Bases Loaded their chance to vault into the Slipper field via the Group 3 $200,000 Darley Pago Pago Stakes (1200m).
And the filly Tu Qui Santuzza, an impressive debut winner, lines up in the Group 3 $200,000 Tresemme Magic Night Stakes (1200m) though Waterhouse said she may not be asked to back up if she was to win.
Introducing is described as a 'streetfighter' by Waterhouse and that was on display in his debut win at Warwick Farm while she's hoping Bases Loaded can be more effective with blinkers on.
"They are different types. One is very polite, the other one is a streetfighter,'' she said.
"It'll be interesting to see if it's the polite young colt or the streetfighter who wins it."
Waterhouse and Bott already have Red Resistance and Platinum Jubilee safely in the field for next week's $5 million Longines Golden Slipper and she said Introducing will improve on what he showed in winning on debut.
He's a $21 chance with TAB in Slipper betting and was $3.50 with TAB on Thursday in the Pago Pago.
"He's a very nice colt, a bit of a lad and he showed that going around to the barriers last time,'' Waterhouse said.
"We've worked with him since then. He was very dominant the day he won and Brett (Prebble) is riding the two-year-olds very well. He's not without a chance of getting into the Slipper.
"He had a lot of improvement in him and racing is the best thing to make them grow up. He's got a real chance in the race."
Bases Loaded was also a debut winner at midweek level and he stepped up to the Group 2 Skyline Stakes where he showed speed but weakened to run third behind Corniche.
The shades go on for the Pago Pago and Waterhouse said he's more than capable of improving as stablemate Rise Of The Masses did last year coming off a Skyline defeat to win.
"He was a bit disappointing in his last start, I can't understand why he was,'' she said.
"He's a beautiful horse and I thought he could win last start, he just didn't shape up but he might on Saturday and he's certainly fit."
Pierro filly Tu Qui Santuzza is a $101 chance in Slipper betting but Waterhouse said she's more inclined to wait for the $1 million Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 8.
That's of course should she be competitive in the Magic Night, she was $7 with TAB on Thursday, on the back of her all the way debut win at Canterbury last month but the champion trainer does expect her to measure up.
"She was very impressive the way she won at Canterbury,'' she said.
"She is a really tough filly, I love her, I think she is very talented. She's tenacious, I love tenacious horses. That's what Alligator Blood has got, that's what all the good horses have.
"But running in this race doesn't mean she has to run in the Slipper.
"For her to run in the Slipper and win is a hard ask but for her run on Saturday and then go on to a race like the Percy Sykes would be a perfect lead up. That's where I see her going."
