Big Richie Callander has run his eye over every runner for Saturday $3,500,000 Longines Golden Slipper and come up with his top 4 for the Worlds richest 2 year old race.
Of $3,500,000.1st $2,000,000, 2nd $600,000, 3rd $300,000, 4th $170,000, 5th $110,000, 6th $50,000, 7th $50,000, 8th $50,000, 9th $50,000, 10th $50,000, Equine Welfare Fund $35,000, Jockey Welfare Fund $35,000. GROUP 1
Set Weights, Two-Years-Old, Apprentices cannot claim.
Track Name: Main Track Type: Turf
Field Limit: 16 + 4 EM
| 1 | WRITTEN BY | Grahame Begg | Jordan Childs | 4 | 56.5 |
Hard to knock the undefeated Blue Diamond winner who has already proven himself here at Rosehill with a strong win last Saturday in the Pago Pago. He has drawn perfectly and will race on-speed but that said there looks a hot tempo on paper. If there is a concern it’s the seven day back up after a tough run last Saturday.
| 2 | SANTOS | Waterhouse & Bott | Tim Clark | 7 | 56.5 |
Gai Waterhouse knows how to win a Golden Slipper having won six previously so never underestimate the queen of racing. This colt returned this preparation much stronger resulting in two wins in the Pierro Plate and Skyline Stakes. He is tough and will likely stalk the speed from his ideal barrier.
| 3 | AYLMERTON | Jean Dubois | Tommy Berry | 8 | 56.5 |
He caught many by surprise when winning at Canterbury but now has all our attention after winning the Todman stakes. He got absolute perfect runs in transit in both career runs to date so he will be looking for the same on Saturday. He will relish if the race is run at break neck speed. I think this is another step up from his two wins.
| 4 | LONG LEAF | D & B Hayes & Dabernig | Blake Shinn | 19 | 56.5 |
He won his first three races before racing without much luck in the Blue Diamond but that said he was beaten a long way. For the stable to go on with him suggests he has done well and they have added blinkers to his gear for grand final day. It’d be a surprise for me if he troubled the placings.
| 5 | PERFORMER | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | 16 | 56.5 |
Always had a nice rap on this colt since he won the Breeders Plate back in October last year. He returned winning the Canonbury stakes albeit narrowly before he and Hugh Bowman parted company in the Todman Stakes. He has since trialed with the blinkers on and he looked very sharp. The wide barrier won’t make things easy but if the rain comes it may have little effect.
| 6 | EF TROOP | Tony Gollan | Jason Collett | 2 | 56.5 |
Tough running Queensland youngster who from a perfect barrier will either lead or sit on the leaders back if the speed is very genuine. He looks at this stage of his career that the 1200m sees him out but with the soft draw he will get every chance to be there at the business end. I’ve got him as a great place chance.
| 7 | PRAIRIE FIRE | Mick Price | Mark Zahra | 6 | 56.5 |
His Melbourne form is solid and having drawn a nice gate he looks to get the perfect run. It’s been a month since his latest run but according to his trainer Mick Price he will be ready fire on the weekend. Being by Snitzel he won’t mind if the track has a little sting out of it. Place chance for mine after the perfect draw.
| 8 | SANDBAR | Brad Widdup | Christian Reith | 3 | 56.5 |
Sandbar made me sit up and take notice last Saturday when narrowly defeated by Written By. He is a strong son of Snitzel that has held his condition well and if the rain comes I am confident he will love it. He is probably a trifecta player but if the track comes up soft or worse he becomes a major player for mine.
| 9 | ENBIHAAR | D & B Hayes & Dabernig | Stephen Baster | 15 | 54.5 |
Hasn’t started since the Blue Diamond when coming from well back and finishing second to Written By. He trialed last week at Randwick in readiness on a heavy surface which he seemed to handle. From the wide barrier he would need every possible favour to figure. Like the boy with the wheelbarrow he looks to have the job in front of him.
| 10 | SUNLIGHT | Tony McEvoy | Luke Currie | 5 | 54.5 |
This girl is the closest thoroughbred to a machine as she just turns up and gives 100% and beats the opposition. As a punter I keep thinking when is the hard racing back in December and January then again leading in here going to take its toll but I saw her this week and she looked fresh as a daisy. She will settle handy and be there when the medals are handed out. The wet is her biggest query and worry.
| 11 | ESTIJAAB | Hawkes Racing | Brenton Avdulla | 17 | 54.5 |
Estijaab is high speed filly who is sure to be burning turf early as that is her go to get running and get the others out of their comfort zones. She was attacked for most of the way and yet was only run down late by the favourite Sunlight in the Silver Slipper. Last start she ran time when winning at Randwick but what impressed me was the fight she showed. Sometimes a rain affected track can take the wind out of the sails of speedsters but all being even she looks a player.
| 12 | OOHOOD | Tony McEvoy | Zac Purton | 11 | 54.5 |
Oohood is still a maiden but she is no also-ran having filled a placings in all her four career starts. Last start was the Blue Diamond and she didn’t show the same burst of speed she’d shown previously which I think was because they rode her a touch closer. She gets blinkers for the first time Saturday and Zac Purton fly’s back in to steer and I think if allowed to be wherever she wants early she becomes a value runner for the exotics.
| 13 | FIESTA | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 20 | 54.5 |
Fiesta is going to need some luck having drawn the outside barrier 16. She is flashy filly but a hardened filly that gives everything she has when she races. She was a month between runs last start when run down by Seabrook so I expect to be cherry ripe with that run under her belt. She won’t mind some rain as she has shown she can handle it and it might just bring a few of the fancied runners back to her.
| 14 | SIZZLING BELLE | Nick Olive | Kathy O’Hara | 1 | 54.5 |
What a tough filly Sizzling Belle is from the Canberra stable of Nick Olive who I rate as good a trainer there is. Nick gets a good horse too often not to be a good trainer and this girl thus far has done a superb job winning three from four. I wish the connections all the best but I just think the Golden Slipper is a huge step from the Black Opal where she ran second last start.
| 15 | SEABROOK (NZ) | Mick Price | Damien Oliver | 12 | 54.5 |
Seabrook really made us Sydneysiders sit up and take notice when she sat deep throughout the Sweet Embrace Stakes yet found another gear to gun down Fiesta and some handy fillies. From reports at Rosehill her work last Saturday was as good a work by any 2yo in past few seasons. Damien Oliver goes back on board and one thing we know about Olly he can handle the pressure cooker when it comes to the big races. She is a major player in this year’s Golden Slipper.
| 16 | SECRET LADY | Gary Portelli | Ben Melham | 13 | 54.5 |
Great work by Gary Portelli to have a runner in the Golden Slipper trying to defend the title he won twelve months ago with She Will Reign. She is nice filly that will get back and look to run home but I think she looks safely held. One thing for sure is the owners group led by Gary’s wife Kellie will have a ball and will be partying win lose or draw.
| 17e | QAFILA | D & B Hayes & Dabernig | Craig Williams | 10 | 54.5 |
Qafila just got too far back last start in the Black Opal when hitting the line hard to finishing fourth. Prior to that she was safely held in the Blue Diamond and looks to have a massive mountain to climb if she is going to figure in this year’s Golden Slipper.
| 18e | GONGS | James Cummings | Tye Angland | 14 | 54.5 |
Gongs burst onto the scene at Canterbury last November when she won by over five lengths before backing that up with a solid win at Rosehill. This time around she finished a mile from Sunlight and Estijaab before an honest effort in the Reisling Stakes. She looks safely held.
| 19e | LEGEND OF CONDOR | Gerald Ryan | 9 | 56.5 |
This colt returned after winning the Victory Vein Plate last October as a well supported favourite in the Pierro Plate and after being disappointing had fallen out of flavor with everyone. I think although he has brilliant early speed he might be a better horse ridden quiet and if he got a start here a top eight finish is on the cards.
| 20e | SPIN | Peter & Paul Snowden | 18 | 56.5 |
Spin had his chance last Saturday to put his Slipper credentials on the table and was safely held behind Written By beaten almost four lengths. The bad gate put an end to his chances if he happened to gain a start.
- PERFORMER
- SEABROOK
- SANDBAR
- SANTOS