After partnering Phelan Ready to an emphatic win in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m), jockey Brad Rawiller is confident the gelding will claim the next leg of the juvenile Triple Crown.

Winning trainer Bruce McLachlan confirmed Phelan Ready will line up in the Group 1 AJC Sires" Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 18 after winning Saturday"s $3.5 million race at Rosehill.

However, he will not chase the triple crown with the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on April 25 and instead go for a spell after the Sires".

His next start sets up a tantalising showdown with the Gai Waterhouse-trained Manhattan Rain, who will also back up for the Sires" on Doncaster Day after running third in the Slipper.

Other Slipper entrants to line up in the Sires" include Black Opal winner Delago Bolt, who finished a respectable ninth after missing the jump on Saturday.

Despite acknowledging Manhattan Rain"s run had been strong in the unsuitable heavy conditions, Rawiller felt Phelan Ready was still the horse to beat over 1400m.

"Our first-up run in the Todman trial was terrific. We ran second to the favourite (Real Saga) which set us up perfectly for the Golden Slipper," Rawiller said yesterday. "And then after the Golden Slipper he will have had two runs from a short break and he just shows every reason why the 1400m is going to be ideal."

"I think he"s still the fresh horse on the scene going into the race and he"s going to be too good for them."

Although no horse had previously won the Slipper from Phelan Ready"s barrier (16), Rawiller said he knew he was on the winner at the 400m mark.

"I got behind Real Saga and he started to struggle at the 600m mark with the ground and I knew I was going better than him," Rawiller said.

"I was pretty confident most horses would edge out and I was confident enough to wait. And I hadn"t spent a penny and was only four lengths off the lead."

"At the 400m mark I thought, "I"m not going to get beat. I"m going to win the Golden Slipper."