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The $3.5m Golden Slipper (1200 metres) is the premier two-year-old race in the world, and brings together a field of brilliantly-bred youngsters. Join us for live updates and a blog in the lead-up to the 3.50pm start time.
The Golden Slipper is not often won by a horse that goes on to dominate the racing scene but it’s always an exciting race and is a noted producer of super stallions.
1. Pierro
For: Pierro was declared in October as the winner of this race by his trainer Gai Waterhouse. He’s undefeated and is certain to run a strong 1200. His wins have all been good. First-up this campaign he missed the start before charging down the outside to defeat good filly Hussousa. He went on to beat Epaulette next (who’s also engaged here) after being headed in the straight.
The fast early pace will suit him in this race. I’ve seen this horse in the flesh twice and while he isn’t overly big, he’s a professional colt. Big chance.
Against: Pierro has drawn the inside gate. He will need some luck to win (but in saying that, they’ll all need luck). Jockeys have a history of getting off the inside on Golden Slipper day and if it happens again, Pierro will have plenty of room to make his run in the final stretch. It’s hard to knock this bloke.
2. Epaulette
For: There’s an air of timing about this bloke. He won on debut on Boxing Day before returning in the Black Opal in Canberra when he sat on the speed and held off what looked to be a bunch of second-stringers. Epaulette ran past Pierro in the Todman but was run down near the line.
He appears to be improving with every run, and the mail from within the stable is that he had a bit more improvement in him after that latest run. Big player.
Against: Epaulette has a bit of a distance query. He went past Pierro last time in a slowly-run race and couldn’t hold him off at the end. With more pace in the race, his stamina will be tested. The likes of Samaready have proven themselves to be strong at 1200. He will need to be too.
3. Raceway
For: I was overseas in December/January and returned to find this bloke in a massive boom. His debut win was outstanding; however, as so often happens with two year olds, it looks as if the pack has caught up.
He fell in against Shelford in his next start before indicating a step up to a distance longer than 1200 metres was required when he was defeated by Ashokan in the Skyline at Randwick three weeks ago. He’s got a bit of class and the likely to certain hot speed will play into his hands.
Against: That pack catching up. He’s one of five for Waterhouse, and from what I’ve heard it looks as if the likes of Driefontein may have bridged the gap in recent trackwork sessions at Randwick. Good eachway hope.
4. Amorino
For: I arrived at Rosehill on Ladies Day two weeks ago knowing that this bloke had a boom on him. And I was impressed with what I saw. He’s a nice, big, flashy sort of juvenile.
Against: He doesn’t, however, seem to have what it takes to win a Slipper. He was well beaten in the Magic Millions as a 5/2 chance and when there was heavy support for him last time, he was found out by Pierro and Epaulette. There are better roughies.
5. Faustus
For: He finished second in the Black Opal behind Epaulette beaten only a small margin.
Against: In his next start in the Todman he was well beaten by Pierro, Epaulette and even Amorino. He may’ve already peaked. Wide draw of 13 doesn’t help. Good luck to connections, they’re living the dream!
6. Ashokan
For: Ashokan won a key Slipper lead-up – the Skyline at Randwick three weeks ago. He was good enough to hold off Collect and Raceway in what was his second start. I was impressed with his strength last time. He really wanted to win that race.
Against: He has a wide draw here and if he goes forward as he has done in his first two starts, he will probably get caught wide or use juice trying to get in. Collect didn’t frank that Skyline form when finishing last behind All Too Hard last week. Place best here.
7. Narcissus
For: This bloke has been pretty friendless all week and I’m not sure why. I was at Rosehill last week and like everyone was taken with All Too Hard. All Too Hard looks like Black Caviar and races like her too.
But after finishing a length second to All Too Hard, Narcissus was completely overshadowed by Cav’s little bro in the aftermath. He looks like more early speed is going to suit him immensely. His last furlong was good – he took ground off All Too Hard. Prior to last week, his form was okay to good.
Against: Narcissus is drawn wide. His trainer Peter Snowden (and I have a lot of respect for what trainers say before a Slipper, because things change quickly with two year olds) is far more confident in the chances of Epaulette.
Narcissus must back up quickly after last week and that is also a query. On top of that he appears to me to be crying out for 1400. He needs speed. Good roughie. Probably my favourite of all those outside 30/1.
8. Shelford
For: He almost caused a boilover on Super Saturday when finishing a head behind $1.24 favourite Raceway in a lead-up to this at Warwick Farm. He then went to Rosehill and was well beaten by Pierro and Epaulette, finishing third. He easily accounted for Amorino and Faustus and was clearly the third-best run from that race.
Against: He draws wide and needs to improve somewhat. Good rough hope for a place.
9. Samaready
For: I’ve copped some stick from one of my mates for declaring Samaready’s win at the Blue Diamond as the best two-year old win I’d ever seen in The Roar’s live blog of the race, but I’m prepared to stand by that claim.
This girl isn’t massive but my word she’s strong. She will absolutely revel in the extra speed, and according to trainer Mick Price, will improve sharply off what was a brilliant lead-up win over the unlucky Hussousa in the Reisling at Rosehill. My top selection.
Against: Well, plenty of people will tell you the Blue Diamond isn’t a producer of Golden Slipper winners. Sepoy, however, won the Diamond last year in similarly dominant fashion to Samaready before repeating the dose in the Slipper. It’s a second grand final for this girl, but I’m convinced she’s good. I expect to her to be fighting out the finish.
10. No Looking Back
For: I read something yesterday on the net that had three representatives from three different bookmakers tipping this girl on top. They seem to think she’s going to be better served from gate three than what she was when drawing 15 in the Diamond and getting spanked by a totally dominant Samaready.
No Looking Back hasn’t been sighted in the six weeks since the Diamond and I feel that’s a positive. Gai Waterhouse did this with Sebring a few years ago and it worked and so she does it again.
Against: I thought she was absolutely smashed by Samaready in the Diamond. Horses like Hussousa, Meidung and Snitzerland have got closer to Samaready since, so No Looking Back will need to improve. This is her third grand final this year – she’s already run in the Magic Millions (second after losing the race on protest), and Blue Diamond (second).
11. Driefontein
For: Like No Looking Back, Waterhouse produces Driefontein here after not being seen for six weeks. Now the mail is – and from two different trackwatchers – that this girl has improved her work in recent weeks. Not only has she bridged the gap between her and Raceway but she’s worked herself into Slipper contention.
She’s undefeated, having won the Magic Millions on protest before accounting for Agueda and Hussousa in the Widden at Warwick Farm. There’s a bit of timing about this girl. Good 15/1 hope.
Against: I’m not sure how good she is. On the basis of her run in the Millions, you’d have to say she’s around the No Looking Back mark and Samaready has proven herself to be stronger than that. Not sure about this girl. My gut is saying she could run well.
12. Jade Marauder
For: Jade Marauder continues to improve. She resumed in late January and unwound a big sprint to come down the outside and claim a very soft victory. I thought her next run behind Cavalry Rose was very good and then she was impressive when winning the Sweet Embrace at Randwick after missing the start. This girl will run a strong 1200 and she will be powering home. She’s on the up.
Against: All her form is on wet tracks. So racing on dry will be something new. She’s drawn the widest gate here and from there it’s hard not imagining her going back to last. If she drew well I’d be considering her for my top four. Place is best because of the gate.
13. Snitzerland
For: Going into her last start, which was her stiffest test to date, I had this girl high up in my Slipper calculations, but she seemed to struggle to run the distance out after leading Samaready, Hussousa, and so on in the Reisling.
Against: The fact she was well beaten last time into fourth and looks to be a bit one-dimensional (always racing on the speed) seems to play against her here. Place best, but I think she may’ve already peaked this prep.
14. Cavalry Rose
For: Cavalry Rose is tough. She’s very tough. She boasts a win against Jade Marauder in February. She finished a slightly disappointing fourth in the Black Opal before going down in a photo against Ichihara last week. She was strong to the line in what was a big field and there was some good early speed to test her stamina. I think she can run well.
Against: She’s on the quick back-up here and it could serve to blunt her sprint. She’s got plenty of heart so every bit of speed she’s got, she’s going to need. Place best.
15. Doubtfilly
For: Owners paid a hefty $150K late entry fee to get into this race. There’s a lot of pressure on this Queenslander. I thought she was just fair last week.
Against: This girl is a fair-dinkum duck. She won a good race on the Gold Coast three weeks ago by 6 lengths on a heavy track. If we got some unexpected rain her chances would improve sharply. She would need to improve on her run last week behind Ichihara and Cavalry Rose.
16. Later Gator
For: Gai Waterhouse’s fifth horse in the race. John Singleton owns her. He’s shouted the public bar after winning this race before. If you’re at the track and are having a tough day maybe seeing this girl home might help you get through, especially if Singo obliges. Heck, if I’m having a shocker I might head down to Rosehill to drown my sorrows should Later Gator cause an upset!
Against: It’s hard to recommend her on form. I was actually at Canterbury when this girl won first-up but I must admit I didn’t think I was seeing the Golden Slipper winner. Since then she ran a solid third in the Black Opal when profiting from a leader bias and then came fifth behind Ichihara last week after coming from eighth on the turn. Not for me.
Tips
1. Samaready
2. Pierro
3. Epaulette
4. Narcissus
5. Driefontein
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