Golden Slipper Day Group 1 preview

For anyone with even a passing interest in racing, the Golden Slipper needs no introduction, and the day itself is one of the favourites for many a purist, as Justin Cinque detailed yesterday.

With five Group 1’s on offer, and millions of dollars worth of prizemoney for connections lucky enough to have a horse racing on the day, let’s get straight into the preview.

Golden Slipper

Very few horses in this $3.5M race have seen a rain-affected track, with the few who have all coming out of the same race, the Silver Slipper, just over a month ago.

With rain falling quite heavily on Rosehill racecourse over the last couple of days, and the prospect of more to come, it adds an element of the unknown to assessing what is arguably the most adrenalin-filled race on the racing calendar.

Overreach is the hot punters-elect, her cramped odds justified by two runs this prep resulting in wins by a combined 10 lengths, one of which was over Villa Verde, the filly trained out of country Victoria, who was second favourite for the Slipper at the time.

In further fuel for her supporters, Overreach has drawn barrier one, provider of three of the last six winners, and is of course prepared by Gai Waterhouse, who has won the race four times, and never fails to produce a strong hand.

She’s been the most impressive two-year-old, along with Blue Diamond winner Miracles of Life, we’ve seen, but her odds are short enough in a capacity field where anything can, and usually does, happen.

For an example of this, make sure you catch Andrew’s piece from yesterday.

Criterion, from the fifth line of betting, appears value for mine. Some horses just continue to get the job done despite people forever looking around them, and he strikes me as one of those.

With three wins from his four starts, he’s accounted for the more fancied Sweet Idea and Sidestep in his time, as well as the Blue Diamond runner-up Fast ‘N’ Rocking.

If he can jump well from barrier two and settle midfield or better, Hugh Bowman will ensure he gets the right passage to the post. Let’s not forget his sire, Sebring, won his Slipper on the heavy.

Ruud Awakening has to be respected given Craig Williams jumped off Criterion to ride her, and the little master is going to need to be at his best to overcome barrier 18, pushing over to lead the likely option.

Villa Verde might have to be ridden cold from 17, and the David Hayes trained Fast ‘N’ Rocking is another in the market done no favours from barrier 15. With the latter, it’s worth noting Hayes prepared Von Costa De Hero to run second to Sebring in the 2008 Slipper on a wet track from that barrier.

Sweet Idea is as honest as they come, and was the winner of that Silver Slipper, so also can’t be discounted.

Selections: 1. Criterion; 2. Overreach; 3. Villa Verde; 4. Fast ‘N’ Rocking

BMW

As we seem to be saying with most WFA races these days, this is hardly a vintage edition, but that will hardly matter to the owners that pocket the $1.23M first place prizemoney.

Fiveandahalfstar deserves his favouritism despite question marks over his wet track form. His two slow track runs were his first two starts, both over a sprint distance. He does have a 1.4 lengths fourth to Dear Demi on the heavy over a mile, which may be a pointer that he gets through it okay.

He did a bit wrong and once more found one better, Foreteller, than him in the Ranvet last start. The three-year-olds continue to prove they’re a class above this season, and Fiveandahalfstar turning that result around and winning here can put the exclamation mark on both his campaign, and the success of his age group.

Foreteller has grown another leg this campaign, culminating in his first two WFA wins, first at Group 2 level in the St George, then his maiden Group 1 with the Ranvet. Why can’t he go on with it here, in his first attempt over further than 2000m?

Certainly there’s no rider in better form than Jim Cassidy right now.

Maluckyday always has his supporters, but there can’t be many more overrated than him. Never provides value for money, and has been beaten six times at single figure odds since his fabled Melbourne Cup second, being winless in that two and a half year period.

Can run a race, but I wouldn’t back him at $6 if he was the only horse in it.

His stablemate, however, does catch my interest. This is a race that can produce a blow-out result, and Niwot could very well be that horse.

Raced a bit flat last time after settling closer than was ideal, and if the track is slow or worse, I can see him finishing hard out wide and being added to the long list of rough winners. Let’s face it, if Blutigeroo can win a BMW, anything can.

Selections: 1. Fiveandahalfstar; 2. Niwot; 3. Foreteller; 4. Maluckyday

Vinery Stud Stakes

This has traditionally been very much a favourites affair, which is often the case in set weights fillies races getting up in distance.

Norzita put the writing on the wall with a fast-finishing third in the Coolmore and earns her place at the top of the market.

Dear Demi disappointed with excuses in the same race, Habibi is seasoned beyond 2000m and provides the X-factor from across the Tasman, while You’re So Good is a classy Victorian filly still in her first prep who will go forward and take some catching in the straight.

I’d love to put my favourite horse Dear Demi on top, but history and barriers dictate that Norzita has to be given full respect.

The $2.70 on offer with Sportsbet may look extremely attractive after the race.

Selections: 1. Norzita; 2. Dear Demi; 3. You’re So Good; 4. Habibi

Queen of the Turf

More Joyous is the Queen of Rosehill, with over half her career wins coming there. She’s also the queen of this race, making the last two editions a one-act affair. She’s been in control both times, going on to win by almost three lengths, and there’s no reason she won’t make it a hat-trick.

She tasted defeat behind Pierro first-up, but lost no admirers, and her second-up record is even more imposing.

Most of these mares are quite adept on the wet, and some excel in it, so it could become very interesting if the track is a genuine heavy, which may well expose the favourite.

Appearance and Red Tracer are the obvious, having run the quinella in the Coolmore, and Streama is a quality mare who’ll be better served pushing forward this time.

Outside those, Pear Tart is the other you’d throw in your quaddie on a heavy, and you’d be safe in getting the first leg.

Selections: 1. More Joyous; 2. Red Tracer; 3. Streama; 4. Appearance

George Ryder

This day belongs to the two-year-olds, but it’s a three-year-old who a lot of racing fans will be waiting until race eight to see.

Pierro is his name, and winning is his game – undefeated in his home town in fact, 9 from 9!

The superstar colt will push forward from a middle gate to camp just off King Mufhasa, and a field of good quality WFA gallopers won’t be running him down.

If we’re going with the three-year-olds, and we’re continually extolling their virtues on this site, we might as well go with Rebel Dane for second. The more rain the better for him, and hopefully he can return to his best and make a race of it.

We know what we’re going to get from the tough and honest Shoot Out and Danleigh, while Solzhenitsyn continues to improve, and Laser Hawk hasn’t reached his peak yet but might not be as effective on the slops.

Selections: 1. Pierro; 2. Rebel Dane; 3. Shoot Out; 4. Laser Hawk

So there we have it. I’ve put four favourites on top, which I hate doing, and of course seldom does it work out that way.

But two of them pick themselves, the weight of history is on the side of another, and Fiveandahalfstar simply has to find the line first soon doesn’t he?

Whatever the results, it’s going to be fantastic day’s racing. Make sure you’re a part of it.