In the early 1950s, Sydney racing administrator George Ryder had the idea for a new event that would change Australia’s thoroughbred landscape forever.
Contrasting the traditional important races over longer distances and for older horses, it would be a scamper over six furlongs – three-quarters of a mile, or 1200 metres – for the babies of the turf, two-year-olds.
Ryder asked his wife what would be the perfect present for a baby, and ultimately named the race based on her reply. In 1957, the first Golden Slipper was held.
To be fair to modern Sydney officials, at the time it probably sounded as silly a name for a race as The Everest, or the Kosciusko.
Or the Golden Eagle, or the Silver Eagle.
The Big Dance, the Gong.
The Four Pillars. Et cetera.
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But the Slipper took root, became part of racing’s vocabulary, and would go on to achieve its current standing as the richest two-year-old race in the world, with current prizemoney of $5 million.
Not only that, as Australian racing bent more towards speed, and with horse buyers increasingly wanting fast returns on investments via two-year-old runners, the Slipper became probably the most important race in the land in regard to shaping the breed.
In other words, apart from being one of Australia’s Big Four along with the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate, it’s our most important “stallion-maker”. While the winner earns $2.8 million, if it’s a colt, he can be sold off to stud with a Golden Slipper to his name for at least 10 times that amount.
Take, for example, Sebring, who was sold as a yearling for $130,000, won the 2008 Slipper, and was then bought for stallion duties for $28 million. Or 2016 winner Capitalist. He earned $2 million for winning the race, but that meant his stud owners could then set his fee for serving mares at a relatively high $55,000 per time. With mare owners keen to breed to a Slipper winner, he covered 229 of them in his first year at stud, earning his owners $12.6 million. (He’s gone quite well as a sire, so last year it was 243 mares at $99,000 a pop – or $24 million). If a filly wins, it adds a couple of zeroes to the value of her yearlings later on, though of course she can spawn only a tiny fraction of the number of offspring of any colt who wins.
So, while the Slipper is a nice race to win on the day, its value later is immense. That’s why it’s often a frantic dash with huge pressure on, and in that sense, Sydney’s leg of the Big Four – which for many years before all those new races came along was the Harbour City’s most lucrative race – can be said to represent the city’s reputation of Australia’s party capital perfectly. While Melbourne’s biggest race is a thoughtful, tactical and gruelling two-miler, Sydney’s Slipper is a mad scamper for the kids, all over in about 70 seconds.
In any case, it’s well worth a watch. It also highlights a day which could be said to be Australia’s biggest, if your marker is its tally of five Group 1 events, one more than Flemington’s Derby Day in November.
Making for an extra big day, Melbourne will hold its answer to all those new Sydney pop-up races, the $5 million All Star Mile (1600m). And, to be fair, due to the convention of naming the subsequent race after last year’s All Star Mile winner, with a sponsor added, race 7 at Flemington will be called The Lexus Mugatoo. You couldn’t make this stuff up. But Dr Seuss probably could.
Anyway, let’s take a look!
WHAT IS IT?
The Longines Golden Slipper, at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney’s west. A 1200m sprint for juniors at set weights – colts and geldings carrying 56.5kg, and fillies 54.5kg.
WHEN’S IT ON?
This Saturday, March 19, at 4.45pm. Race 8 of a 10-race card running from 12.10pm (AEST) until 5.55pm.
WHAT’S IT WORTH?
$5 million, with $2.8m to the winner. On the day there’s a total of $8.7 million on offer.
WHERE CAN YOU WATCH IT?
Channel 7 and Sky Racing. You can also listen on your local racing station, and FoxSports.com.au will have live news and updates, including video soon after the race.
MAIN PLOTLINES?
The thing about this year’s crop of two-year-olds is it’s very even. Usually there’ll be one or two that stick out, an exceptional one perhaps who’d be a raging favourite. But this year the talent’s spread. Whether that means it’s a bit of a dud year or an outstanding crop of talent, only time will tell.
Filly Coolangatta holds favouritism at around $5. She won the year’s biggest early two-year-old race, the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast over this same 1200m journey, and is from the training team of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, who have tended to win everything lately. She’s been put away since that Gold Coast win on January 15, which is often the key to these two-year-olds, who can be a bit fragile early in their racing lives.
The girls have generally been thought better than the boys this season, and yet two colts hold down the next places in the market in Sejardan at $6 and Best Of Bordeaux at $8, with another filly in She’s Extreme at around $9.
Most of the key chances have drawn decent barriers, important since you don’t want to race too wide around the two bends involved. And, as seemingly always, there’s a bit more rain forecast before Saturday meaning wet trackers, like Sejardan and his filly stablemate Fireburn, might just love it. Both are trained by progressive Warwick Farm trainer Gary Portelli, who famously trained She Will Reign to splash through a Heavy 10 and win in 2017. She cost just $20,000 as a yearling and won $2 million that day – the stuff racing fairytales and magic slippers are made of.
FIRST WINNER
Todman, in 1957, who, in a sign of things to come, became a sire who influenced the Australian thoroughbred breed immensely, fathering two Slipper winners himself.
LAST WINNER
Stay Inside, a son of Extreme Choice, the stallion who only finished eighth in the Slipper in 2016 but has become one of the most exciting sires in the country, despite well-documented fertility issues. Most of his shots are blanks, but the others are dynamite. Stay Inside is another of those dizzying tales: a $200,000 yearling who was retired to stud only last week as a stallion rumoured to have cost around $35 million.
FAMOUS WINNERS
Heaps of them, but let’s say Todman (1957), Sky High (1960), Vain (1969), Manikato (1978), Mascay (1982), Bounding Away (1986), Miss Finland (2006) and Pierro (2012) for a handful.
BEST BARRIER
For once it’s the obvious one – barrier 1 – which has hatched nine winners.
WORST BARRIER
Again one of the more obvious: with no wins, it’s gate 13, unlucky for some and quite wide in this 16-horse field as well.
FAVOURITES
They have a fair record in the race, with five winners in the past 15 editions.
MAJOR RACES ON THE UNDERCARD
Bit of a misnomer that, since there are four Group 1s on the ‘undercard’. They are:
Race 5, the Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at 2.40pm: A weight-for-age event which is time-honoured, having first been run in 1903, but which is worth a relatively low $700,000, and has this year drawn only six starters. But the small field size is probably because it features the great mare – Verry Elleegant – who of course won the Melbourne Cup last spring and won her 11th G1 last start in the 1600m Chipping Norton Stakes.
TIPS: 1. Verry Elleegant; 2. Montefilia; 3. Angel Of Truth.
Race 6, the Rosehill Guineas (2000m) at 3.15pm: Another historic event, first run in 1910, won by some of the all-time greats, and a key race for three-year-olds which can help make a future stallion. Again, though, only nine entrants have signed up, and it’s only worth $600,000. But it’s a juicy field headed by star colt Anamoe at around $1.90, the horse who upset him into second place last time out in Converge ($3.50, though he’s also entered for the Ryder Stakes), the star who had his colours starkly lowered in Melbourne last start in Profondo ($5.50), and not to forget, Forgot You ($9.50).
TIPS: 1. Anamoe; 2. Converge; 3. Profondo.
Race 7, the George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at 4.00pm: First run in 1903 as the Railway Stakes, changed to honour Ryder in 1974. It’s a weight-for-age contest which usually attracts a high quality field, suggested by the fact Winx won it four years in a row. It’s an enticing 12-horse field with outstanding 4yo stallion Mo’unga and 4yo mare Forbidden Love vying for favouritism at around $4.50. Converge is around $6 if he starts, quality Goldophin mare Colette is around $6.50, while there’s also the ultra-consistent Epsom Handicap winner Private Eye at the $8 mark.
TIPS: 1. Mo’unga; 2. Hilal; 3. Private Eye.
Race 9, the Galaxy (1100m) at 5.20pm: A relatively new sprint, born in 1972, in which a hefty 14-horse handicap field will go like the clappers. It’s a quite even event highlighted by the fact gun Queensland mare Isotope is a $4 favourite ahead of seven horses at between $10 and $13. Leading chances include Godolphin 3yo colt Paulele, Bjorn Baker’s last-start Melbourne winner Overpass, Bjorn Baker’s other last-start Melbourne winner Malkovic, and the new battler’s hero Shelby Sixtysix. This five-year-old gelding, running round at Wagga and Albury last spring, has come from nowhere to almost beat top sprinter Eduardo two starts back (whilst relegating Everest winner Nature Strip to third) before winning last Saturday over this course and distance. He’s trained by a Goulburn battler in Danny Williams and will become a folk hero if he wins a G1 here. He’s got to get into the field first, since he was only the first emergency, but it’s likely something in the top 14 will be scratched, allowing him a run, if the rain comes, which he loves.
TIPS: 1. AWAY GAME; 2. Isotope; 3. Overpass.
And don’t forget…
In Melbourne it’s the All Star Mile (1600m), race 6, at 3.40pm. Introduced three years ago, it’s a weight-for-age event worth $5 million, and this year looks an enthralling contest headed by the outstanding Zaaki ($3.30), I’m Thunderstruck ($6), and Inspirational Girl ($6.50), who beat Zaaki last start. There’s also three-year-old Pinstriped at $7, possibly the biggest certainty beaten in history last start with fifth in the Australian Guineas over this trip.
TIPS: 1. Zaaki; 2. I’m Thunderstruck; 3. Inspirational Girl.
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THE GOLDEN SLIPPER FIELD
1. DAUMIER (Barrier 8) Weight: 56.5kg. Approx odds: $15/$4. FOR: Won the nation’s second-biggest two-year-old event, the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes over this same trip at Caulfield last start. Gun jockey in Mark Zahra and strong stable in father/son Anthony and Sam Freedman. Anthony, though famously grumpy, won four of these on end as part of big brother Lee’s training team in the 90s. AGAINST: No wet form to speak of and as a Melbourne horse he switches for the first time from anti-clockwise to clockwise, which some in the know say is harder to adjust to than the other way around, especially for inexperienced youngsters. The last to come from an anti-clockwise southern background and win was Sepoy in 2011, though he had one lead-up run the Sydney way of going. He was also the last of only five to complete the Blue Diamond-Slipper double. Clearly a hard thing to do. CAREER: 3: 2-0-1 (3 starts: 2 wins, 0 seconds, 1 third). LAST START: 1st of 15, by a nose, 1200m Caulfield Blue Diamond Stakes, Feb 26.
2. SEJARDAN (7) 56.5kg. $6/$2. FOR: Loads of ability and fight, shown in winning three of four, including two big 2yo races of the spring in the Breeders Plate (1000m) and Rosehill’s Golden Gift (1100m), and getting this distance comfortably at Randwick last start. That was on a Heavy 10, so rain won’t hurt. Trainer Gary Portelli knows what he’s doing, having won this with She Will Reign in 2017. Good barrier and jockey in Jason Collett. AGAINST: The barrier’s good, and it will be gate 5 if the emergencies don’t get a run, but he often gets back in his races, so may perhaps need some luck with gaps opening up in the straight. It is a long straight, however. CAREER: 4: 3-0-1. LAST START: 1st of 8, by 0.62 lengths, Todman Slipper Trial (1200m) at Randwick, March 5.
3. BEST OF BORDEAUX (10) 56.5kg. $8/$2.50. FOR: Can’t knock the form as he’s won two from two, including a key lead-up here in the Silver Slipper (1100m) last start, on a Soft 6. Won a barrier trial (practice race) since then. Is by a champion sire of two-year-olds in Snitzel. AGAINST: A couple of form queries. Only just held on last start and this race is 100m longer. Horse he beat then (Magic) subsequently failed last Saturday, and he beat only four other runners in his first start. He likes to lead so will have to burn petrol from his wide-ish barrier. CAREER: 2: 2-0-0. LAST START: 1st of 10, Silver Slipper (1100m), Rosehill, February 19.
4. SHALATIN (5) 56.5kg. $26/$7.50. FOR: Top trainer in Joe Pride, strong, experienced jockey in Nash Rawiller who’s won this before on Pierro in 2012, and has a good gate. Has shown some toe in finishing a narrow second to Sejardan last November over 100m here, and third to him in the Todman last start, at his first run on heavy going. AGAINST: Yet to win a race from four attempts, wasn’t much threat last start, and if the track’s only soft, as opposed to heavy, he’s had one pretty ordinary run on that sort of going. CAREER: 4: 0-1-1. LAST START: 3rd of 8, beaten 1.8 Len, Todman Slipper Trial (1200m), Randwick March 5.
5. JACQUINOT (11) 56.5kg. $11/$3.50. FOR: Highly-rated colt from leading Melbourne trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent. Started favourite when third in Blue Diamond after impressive debut win over 1200m at Caulfield and luckless fifth in his second start. Jockey Hugh Bowman won this race two years ago on Farnan. Blinkers go on, which can often sharpen up a two-year-old. AGAINST: Barrier not great but at least he likes to drift back and finish on, and should get room out wide. But that’s what he did in the Blue Diamond and he perhaps could have shown more in that run. Switches to Sydney way of going for first time. No wet form. CAREER: 3: 1-0-1. LAST START: 3rd of 15, beaten 0.4 len, Blue Diamond (1200m), Caulfield, Feb 26.
6. SEBONACK (15) 56.5kg. $34/$9. FOR: Trained by Team Hawkes, who can lay claim to winning four of these between father and sons, the latest in 2018 with Estijaab. Has the Wizard of the West on his back in William Pike, who’s moved east owing to his thoughts on vaccinations, and he’s making a decent fist of things. Is a son of that sire again, Capitalist, and showed ability with debut win at Caulfield. AGAINST: Another going clockwise for the first time, no wet form, but more importantly has a wide barrier. Still, finished on strongly after dropping back when fourth in the Blue Diamond, and definite place hope. CAREER: 2: 1-0-1. LAST START: 4th of 15, 1.15len, Blue Diamond (1200m) Caulfield, Feb 26.
7. RISE OF THE MASSES (20) 56.5kg $67/$18. FOR: Is from the Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott yard, and Waterhouse ranks as the most successful Slipper trainer in history, with seven wins, the latest two years ago (her first since teaming with Bott), with Farnan. This colt broke through for his second win last Saturday in the boys’ last main qualifying race, the Pago Pago Stakes, over this 1200m trip, on a Heavy 9, and has been placed in soft going. Pre-race ear muffs on, to calm those two-year-old nerves. AGAINST: Has the very outside alley, and since he’s likely to lead, means he’ll use up lots of fuel early. The Pago Pago hasn’t hatched many recent winners of this. It’s the last chance to get in, so the better horses have usually qualified by then. CAREER: 4: 2-1-1. LAST START: 1st of 8, 0.5len, Pago Pago (1200m) Rosehill, March 12.
8. COOLANGATTA (14) 54.5kg. $4.80/$1.90. FOR: Has had a big wrap on her all season, is unbeaten from three races (and two barrier trials), and has been favourite for this race for a long time. Showed why with her last start, winning the big 1200m Magic Millions on the Gold Coast, holding out Russian Conquest (see below) in a manner stronger than the neck margin suggests. From the very powerful Maher-Eustace team and has super jock James McDonald aboard. AGAINST: Not a great barrier, especially since she likes to take up a forward position, so McDonald will have to be just as good as he can be to find a spot where he’s not too wide. Hasn’t been on heavy going but handled a mid-range soft track (Soft 6) fine in her only try. Unusual prep since her last start was two months ago, though Maher-Eustace are rewriting the book. CAREER: 3: 3-0-0. LAST START: 1st of 16, 0.2len, Magic Millions (1200m) Gold Coast, Jan 15.
9. REVOLUTIONARY MISS (17) 54.5kg. $16/$4.80. FOR: Strong stable in Peter and Paul Snowden and great jockey in Kerrin McEvoy, who teamed up to win this in 2011 with Sepoy. Has been regarded as the second-top filly in the land after Coolangatta. Placed twice in Sydney before surging home to win at Caulfield in her lead-up to the Blue Diamond, in which she went down only narrowly in second as one of the favourites. AGAINST: Very tough barrier, and hasn’t set foot on a damp track. Still, if it’s wet and she handles it, is among the top chances. CAREER: 4: 1-3-0. LAST START: 2nd of 15, 0.1 len, Blue Diamond (1200m) Caulfield, Feb 26.
10. RUSSIAN CONQUEST (16) 54.5kg. $13/$4. FOR: Rider Tommy Berry has a fabulous record in this race, with three wins, and this filly’s another from the Snowden yard. Pre-race ear muffs on. Bolted in by three lengths in her second start, at Randwick on Boxing Day, then gave Coolangatta a scare in grinding away for second in the Magic Millions. AGAINST: Disappointing in first go on a heavy track last start when fourth at Randwick of six starters. Did win a far weaker race on a Soft 5 on debut. Bad alley. And if you’re superstitious, the name could either be a very poor one, or else a strong omen, in these troubled times, CAREER: 4: 2-1-0. LAST START: 4th of 6, 2.5len, Reisling Stakes (1200m) Randwick, March 5.
11. QUEEN OF THE BALL (3) 54.5kg. $16/$4.80. FOR: Led all the way for comfortable win in last Sunday’s Black Opal (1200m) at Canberra to squeeze into this race. From the Richard and Michael Freedman yard – who also helped Lee to his four Slipper wins in the 90s – and who won this race themselves last year with Stay Inside. Another with the pre-race ear muffs applied for the first time. Has an ideal gate to get up amongst the top few in the run. AGAINST: Quick back-up from last Sunday is a big challenge for a young two-year-old filly, and didn’t beat much then either. Handled a Soft 5 that day but flopped on a Soft 6 the start before. CAREER: 4: 2-1-0. LAST START: 1st of 12, 1.2len, Black Opal (1200m) Canberra, March 13.
12. FIREBURN (2) 54.5kg. $11/$3.50. FOR: From the Portelli yard, has won three from four, and won impressively last start over this trip at Randwick on a Heavy 10, so any rain won’t bother her. She’s had an ideal three week break since then. Is drawn inside and jockey Brenton Avdulla is everyone’s pin-up and riding well after a successful return recently from a nasty fall. AGAINST: The alley looks good but since she does tend to get back in her races she might need some luck in the straight. CAREER: 4: 3-0-0, LAST START: 1st of 9, 0.75len, Sweet Embrace (1200m) Randwick, Feb 26.
13. OJAI (12) 54.5kg. $67/$18. FOR: From the powerful Godolphin team of trainer James Cummings, and placed in her only go on heavy going and a fair fourth in her only run on soft. AGAINST: Won on debut in October but hasn’t really kicked on, with two thirds the highlights from four runs since. Not a great barrier considering she races handy. CAREER: 5: 1-0-2. LAST START: 3rd of 6, 2.43len, Reisling Stakes (1200m) Randwick, March 5.
14. SEVEN VEILS (19) 54.5kg. $31/$8.50. FOR: Scored at second start last time out over 1200m at Randwick on a Heavy 10. Has Josh Parr in the saddle, who’s been winning some big races lately, and an astute trainer in Mark Newnham. AGAINST: That win was in one of the weakest lead-ups to this and she’s drawn very wide. Rough place chance best, but only if it pours. CAREER: 2: 1-0-0. LAST START: 1st of 6, 1.82len, Reisling Stakes (1200m) Randwick, March 5.
15. LADY LAGUNA (13) 54.5kg. $67/$17. FOR: Showed ability by winning first two starts last November, including on a Heavy 10 here over 1100m. From gun stable in Annabel Neasham, has top jockey in Linda Meech, and can handle all forms of going. AGAINST: Despite first prep, has been a tad disappointing in two runs this time in, when second and third as favourite each time. Barrier not ideal as she usually races forward. CAREER: 4: 2-1-1. LAST START: 3rd of 9, 3.5len, Sweet Embrace (1200m) Randwick, Feb 26.
16. SHE’S EXTREME (6) 54.5kg. $8.50/$2.90. FOR: By that sizzling sire Extreme Choice, drawn well, and has good, experienced jockey in Brett Prebble, who’s won this before. Burst into calculations by winning powerfully last Saturday over 1200m here on a Heavy 9. AGAINST: Questionable opposition in that last major fillies’ qualifier last week, reflected by fact her jockey that day, Tommy Berry, has opted to stick to Russian Conquest, who was fourth last start. CAREER: 3: 1-1-0. LAST START: 1st of 11, 1.44 len, Magic Night (1200m) Roshill, March 12.
Emergencies
17. SWEET RIDE (9) 56.5kg. $81/$19. FOR: Neasham again, and has won twice, though only over 1100m and 1000m. Finished on OK for second last Saturday. Decent barrier. AGAINST: Came through the lower-standard Pago Pago last week, and those he beat in his two wins haven’t really come on. CAREER: 4: 2-1-0. LAST START: 2nd of 8, 0.5len, Pago Pago (1200m) Rosehill, March 12.
18. MILLANE (1) 56.5kg. $81/$19. FOR: Best barrier. Top trainer in Peter Moody. Won only start, up the straight 1000m at Flemington two weeks back. AGAINST: First outing clockwise, and hasn’t been beyond 1000m. CAREER: 1: 1-0-0. LAST START: 1st of 9, 1.25len, Festival Plate (1000m) Flemington, March 5.
19. SEMILLION (18) 56.5kg. $201/$51. FOR: From the Hawkes stable, and showed ability with comfortable 2len win on debut in a major 2YO race at Moonee Valley last October over 1000m. AGAINST: Bad barrier, especially since he usually leads, so will have to work hard early. And while he won on debut he’s been slightly disappointing in two runs this time in, although he did have to work from a wide gate before fading late when fifth in the Blue Diamond last start. Could possibly be a rough place chance, but goes clockwise for first time, and hasn’t raced on worse than a Soft 5. CAREER: 3: 1-2-0. LAST START: 5th of 15, 1.3len, Blue Diamond (1200m) Caulfield, Feb 26.
20. MAN IN THE MIRROR (4) 56.5kg. $201/$51. FOR: Was a high-priced $1.8 million yearling, and has shown decent form. Won on debut, though only in a 1000m maiden at Warwick Farm in mid-December. But did show quality last start when second in the important VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes. Neasham-trained, good barrier, and won’t be these odds if he gains a run. AGAINST: Has won a barrier trial on soft but failed on heavy. CAREER: 3: 1-1-0. LAST START: 2nd of 13, 0.75len, Sires’ Produce (1400m) Flemington, March 12.
TIPS: 1. Sejardan; 2. Coolangatta; 3. Revolutionary Miss; 4. Jacquinot.