Ahoy roarers! Golden Slipper Day now can push for claims to being one of the best race days on the calendar with five majors on the ten race program, highlighted of course by the richest two year old race in the world, the $3.5 million Longines Golden Slipper (1200m).
I have been closely watching 13 Yankee Rose for the past couple of months, waiting for her to race, but she comes into the Slipper first up, which seems an impossible task. She is two from two at Rosehill, draws a gate, trials have been good and gets the services of one of the worlds best in Zac Purton. I think she is the forgotten horse.
The horse to beat is clearly 1 Extreme Choice. His win in the Blue Diamond (1200m) was stunning, sitting three and four wide no cover on a hot speed before ambling to the front and running the 1200m out very strongly to win with dominance, beating home the stablemate Flying Artie.
The negatives in his corner are that it is his first time at Rosehill for a Melbourne horse, and despite winning on debut at Randwick, Rosehill and Randwick are two different beasts. That, and the form out of the Blue Diamond, so far, has been very poor. Still, you can’t ignore what he did in winning.
Godolphin has a very strong hand in the race. I’ll be shocked if one of their runners isn’t in the finish. 12 Calliope was strong last weekend in the Magic Night, and there looked to be a lot of room for improvement on the line. Draws a horror gate, but she has shown before she can get back and attack the line as we saw on debut in the Gimcrack.
Astern and Telperion are the two other Godolphin runners and they trialled sensationally last Thursday at Warwick Farm.
The George Ryder Stakes (1500m) looks set to be dominated by the star mare 5 Winx. Her win in the Chipping Norton (1600m) was just classy given she overcame a double bias and had to make a run a fair way from home. Back on her home track now, nearly at peak fitness and she has performed brilliantly on tracks with give in it, so the rain won’t be an issue. Only bad luck will beat her.
The obvious threat is the stablemate 8 Press Statement. He started at a very short quote in the Randwick Guineas (1600m) and while he was held up a touch in the straight, I thought he had his chance to pick up Le Romain. Takes on the older horses now and only gets a kilo off Winx, so I find it hard to see him winning, plus gate one could see him boxed in again, which isn’t his go. But, he is a class animal and is another who should be just about ready to peak.
If the track was bone dry, I’d put 4 Happy Clapper in for second. His effort first up in the Canterbury Stakes (1300m) was brilliant given it was his first crack at WFA and the tempo was clearly against him yet he attacked the line better than anything. He is my early pick for the Doncaster and hopefully this will just clean out the cobwebs.
It could be a big day for Mick Price because he also has the raging favourite for the Rosehill Guineas (2000m), Tarzino. He is similar to Winx in my opinion, in that only bad luck will beat him. He was enormous in the Australian Guineas (1600m), sitting wide throughout and was out near the centre of the track on the turn yet still ran Palentino to a narrow margin. Draws to get a sweet trip just off the speed now, up to 2000m now, fitter – surprised there is still $2.50 on offer.
The eye catching run in the Australian Guineas (1600m) was Vanbrugh. He got a long way back in the run and was held up a touch in the straight, but he picked his way through and was powerful through the line for sixth. He is a Group l winner at this distance and looks on target to repeat the dose. The chance of a wet track is the big negative because he can’t pick his feet up on it.
7 River Wild was another good run in the Australian Guineas (1600m), getting held up before working clear and attacking the line for fourth. Little query on him at running a genuine 2000m, but Avdulla gets on very well with the horse, draws well and if he jumps cleanly, he does look the leader, so he could take some beating.
The first major of the afternoon is the Ranvet Stakes (2000m). It is a race I’d rather watch than have a bet in, but I can see some value in 7 Storm The Stars, who was very good at his Australian debut in the Chipping Norton (1600m), making up a bit of ground in restricted room. Really like the fact Bowman jumps on, and on his UK form, don’t be surprised to see him bounce to the front and dominate. I think he is the value.
4 Hauraki has been excellent in two runs this time in, the latest when third in the Chipping Norton behind Winx. Third up at 2000m is an ideal recipe for this horse and Macca is back on. He does look the one to beat, but the query is that he hasn’t won for nearly 12 months. Just needs a confidence boost and I think he gets his chance here.
The watch horse is clearly 2 Mongolian Khan. He resumed in the Chipping Norton off the back of a serious bout of colic and was pretty disappointing. Has since trialled and though finishing out the back, he did run through the line strongly and was near the leaders about 150m after the post. Opie is back on now, and this is D-Day for the Caulfield Cup winner.
The feature sprint on the program is the Galaxy (1100m), and it’s hard to ignore what English did first up in the Challenge Stakes (1000m), savaging the line after bombing the start to win with real class and authority. Drawn a horror gate here, so Tommy will have to go back again, and that is a big negative at the 1100m start at Rosehill, so a few things will have to go her way, but 51kg and enormous upside are the two big positives.
Really surprised that 2 Terravista isn’t the favourite in the race. Only a mishap from Oliver cost the horse a win over Chautauqua in the Lighting (1000m) and the setback that saw him not run in the Newmarket was only a minor one. Bowman on, good gate, and given he is a serious Group l performer, he isn’t badly in at the weights.
If the track remains to have give in it, keep an eye out for 11 Lumosty. She wasn’t suited when resuming down the straight at Flemington behind Malaguerra. Gets a lovely weight drop here, Williams jumps back on and Robert Smerdon knows the right horse to bring for this race because he does have a good record in recent years. She is the value.
In other races at Rosehill
– Blendwell looks good overs in the Epona
– Libran should bolt up in the Manion Cup
– Egyptian Symbol, with a better barrier, can bounce back into the winners list
– Brook Road looks one of the bets of the day in the Birthday Card
– Amovatio can improve sharply on his home track in the Newcastle Newmarket
Best Bet of the Day – Bendigo Race Six Number 2 Hijack Hussy
Former Queensland mare now with Darren Weir and her first up run at Flemington behind a Group l performer was a beauty, taking off solid ground late. Looks to have plenty of upside left and though Rawiller jumps off to ride the stablemate, she loses nothing with Zahra jumping on board. Looks a really good bet in the Bracelet.
Trial Watch – Bendigo Race Two Number 11 Azeema
The betting agencies haven’t missed her but she only has to overcome the wide draw to take care of them. Caulfield jump out was impressive before going to the Cranbourne trials where she just spanked her rivals after sitting on speed and was extending the margin with every stride. Only carries 52.5kg and from last prep there is subsequent blacktype form around her.
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