The eyes of the racing community will turn to Rosehill today for the 2017 Golden Slipper stakes, and picking the winner this year is going to be as hard as it’s been for quite a while. Join The Roar for all the live coverage and late mail from 4:30pm (AEDT).
Golden Slipper Day is one of the biggest events on the Australian racing calendar, but torrential rain in Sydney has put the world’s richest two-year-old Thoroughbred race under threat.
A forecast for between 20mm and 50mm of rain on Saturday before the race has put the race in danger of being called off, but officials will wait until the very last minute before a decision is made.
As it stands, the racing track is a borderline heavy 10, and the sodden track will undoubtedly shape the outcome of the race.
Houtzen is the favourite following an excellent 2017 so far, with wins in the Magic Millions and at Eagle Farm, the latter while carrying 63kg.
The wide gate is always a concern; however, her Magic Millions triumph – a race which also featured Slipper runners Madeenaty and Chauffeur – came despite drawing the widest barrier (21).
However, the wet track could draw her back to the playing field, with money coming in for both Frolic and Catchy on the weekend.
Frolic’s recent form has been impressive, with a stunning run two weeks ago at the Reisling Stakes over red-hot favourite She Will Reign particularly noteworthy.
The 1200m distance won’t trouble her in the least, and after jockey Tommy Berry’s brilliant outside-rail ride at Reisling, you wouldn’t put it past them bringing home the bacon again at Rosehill.
As for She Will Reign, well, her Reisling defeat has pushed her out of favouritism for the first time in a long while, but while there remain doubts over her ability to go the distance, she’s a proven quantity in the wet and should be amongst the leaders again.
Wet Slippers have historically been won by those settling in the back half of the field rather than setting the pace, and that suits Catchy perfectly.
The two-year-old has form on her side, producing a barnstorming comeback to win the Diamond Stakes in February, and she is rightly listed as one of the favourites here.
Prediction
1. Frolic
2. Catchy
3. Houtzen
4. She Will Reign
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