Late Fee Decision Time In Black Opal

Decision TimeNash Rawiller is more than happy to travel to Canberra on Sunday to ride unbeaten youngster Decision Time in the Black Opal Stakes, believing the gelding is a genuine Golden Slipper prospect.

Decision Time, who Rawiller has ridden in his past two wins in Sydney, is not entered for the $3.5 million Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on April 3.

However, a win in the $250,000 Listed event at Canberra on Sunday would go a long way towards connections paying the $150,000 late entry fee to put him into the race.

The Clarry Conners-trained two-year-old has drawn barrier five for the 1200m contest in Canberra.

"He's a really promising horse," Rawiller said.

"He's the sort of horse who keeps improving, he's still green but he keeps lifting the bar.

"Every run he's finding an extra couple of lengths which is really good heading into a (Golden) Slipper and I'm more than happy to go down and ride him (on Sunday). I'm looking forward to getting back on him."

Decision Time won on debut at Kembla Grange in January before Conners took him to a midweek two-year-old race over 1000 metres on the Kensington Track on February 10.

He won that by 2-1/2 lengths in good style and then took another step up winning at Rosehill on February 20 in a 1200m 2YO Open Handicap.

That victory was enough to suggest to Rawiller that the son of Foreplay was a legitimate Golden Slipper chance should he get to the race.

"It might be different after Saturday, but I don't think there's anything other than maybe Chance Bye that has come out and really said `the Slipper is mine' this year, and (Decision Time) is a very competitive horse," he said.

Rawiller has only had one previous ride at Canberra for a win in the Canberra Cup on Blutigeroo (2000m) in November 2008.

Picture: Sportpix