ROSEHILL TRIALS GIVE CRUCIAL GUIDE TO SLIPPER CHANCES

Danny O'Brien gave Closer To Free's Sydney audition his tick of approval as fellow hopefuls Fireball, Campione D'italia and Shiki all impressed on an important morning for Golden Slipper contenders on Tuesday at Rosehill Gardens.

A quarter of the expected Golden Slipper field was put through its paces 11 days out from the world's richest two-year-old event.

Connections of Closer To Free, a runner-up in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes, will pay the $150,000 late entry for the Slipper and sent the Victorian colt to Sydney early to prepare.

Closer To Free seamlessly handled the Sydney way of going with Jamie Melham aboard when leading throughout a 1030m hitout, beating Chris Waller's colt Fireball by 1-½ lengths in a time of 1:01.82 seconds with a last 600m of 35.53.

"It wasn't on the course proper but it's a similar like for like there for what he will get in the Slipper and he travelled up well and trialled well," O'Brien said.

"He cornered very well, Jamie (Melham) commented that he went around the corner like he was on rails, he had no issues with the corner or going the right handed direction.

"He will have another strong gallop on Tuesday on the course proper there I would say."

Closer To Free is a $15 chance for the Golden Slipper while Inglis Millennium winner Fireball is $34.

Fireball was kept under a tight grip by jockey James McDonald with blinkers on.

Victorian jockey Damian Lane was in town to pilot Skyline Stakes victor Campione D'italia and dragged the colt back to last in a 900m heat.

Campione D'italia wound up nicely down the outside to finish fourth in the heat, just over eight lengths off the winner.

Story by Mitch Cohen

Pics by Racing Photos