Golden Slipper backgrounder

Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan

No. 1 - Shaquero (Shalaa (Ire) x Fimatino (Not A Single Doubt))

Trainer: Chris Waller

Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy

Barrier: 15

A brilliant winner of the G3 Breeders' Plate on debut before winning the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast, Shaquero has not only been an excellent ambassador for his first-season sire Shalaa but also arguably the toughest 2-year-old of this crop. He bounced off a below par effort in the G2 Skyline to bravely fight and win the G3 Pago Pago S. last week, his third stakes win of his career.

His only exposure to a rain-affected track was a second on Soft ground back in January, while his sire Shalaa was very much at home in wet conditions, winning a G1 Prix Morny on a Soft track at Deauville. His dam, Fimatino, never raced on wet going, but the progeny of Not A Single Doubt are usually pretty adept on it, and his grandam Finito's Fling (Luskin Star) was placed three times on Soft and Heavy ground.

Bred by Bob Hannon, Shaquero was purchased by Chris Waller Racing and Guy Mulcaster for $160,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Fernrigg Farm.

He is the fourth named foal out of Fimatino, who is a half-sister to Listed winner Catacaos (Catbird) and the dam of G1 Cox Plate winner and now Rosemont Stud sire Shamus Award.

Fimatino has a yearling filly by Hellbent and a foal colt by Rubick and visited Cosmic Force last spring.

No. 2 - Profiteer (Capitalist x Athena Lass (Snitzel))

Trainer: Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr

Jockey: Hugh Bowman

Barrier: 5

Profiteer progressed from an impressive debut win at Flemington in December to destroy his rivals in the R. Listed Inglis Millennium last month, winning by 5.3l and stamping himself as a leading Golden Slipper chance. He then finished a creditable second behind Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}) in the G2 Todman S.

His dominant win in the Millennium came on a Soft track and there is every indication he should handle the likely wet conditions on Saturday. His sire, Capitalist, only had one unplaced run on a Soft track, but Profiteer's dam Athena Lass loved it wet, winning on debut on a Heavy and winning her last race on a Soft track at Bendigo.

Profiteer was purchased by Rogers Bloodstock and Roll The Dice Racing for $165,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale where he was offered by Newgate Farm who bought back into the colt as a stallion prospect ahead of his Millennium win.

He is the only foal to race so far for Athena Lass, who was a 2-year-old winner and ran third in the G3 Quezette S. She is a half-sister to the Listed Gibson Carmichael S. winner Euryale (Lonhro), while this is also the family of the dual black-type winner and Kingstar Farm sire Unite And Conquer. Group 1 winner Danglissa (Danzero) is Profiteer's third dam.

Athena Lass had an I Am Invincible filly last spring before missing to that stallion.

No. 3 - Artorius (Flying Artie x Gracie’s Lass (Redoute’s Choice))

Trainer: Anthony and Sam Freedman

Jockey: Luke Currie

Barrier: 13

Artorius has emerged rather quickly as one of the best colts of this 2-year-old crop. He debuted with a second at Geelong back in January and then impressed with a fast-finishing 4.5l win at a Sandown midweek meeting later that month. He went straight to the G1 Blue Diamond S. from there and travelled beautifully into the race, finishing over the top of his rivals to record a memorable win at just his third start.

Since then, he has been secured by a partnership headed by Newgate as a stallion prospect and will race in China Horse Club's colours this Saturday.

The only clue to his capacity to handle a wet track is his debut run, where he was beaten 3.5l on Soft ground. In an interesting parallel, his sire, Flying Artie, also only had one run on a wet track, when second on debut in the G3 Maribyrnong Plate. His dam, Gracie's Lass was unraced, but her half-brother, the Group 1 winner Delectation (Shamardal {USA}) relished the sting out.

Bred by Greg Perry, Artorius was a $120,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase by Anthony Freedman Racing and Blue Sky Bloodstock from the draft of Vinery Stud.

He is the best performed of four foals from the unraced Gracie’s Lass, who is out of the Listed winner and G1 Hollywood Starlet S. runner-up Grace And Power (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}). Gracie’s Lass had a colt by Written Tycoon last spring and is now in foal to Deep Field.

No. 4 - Ingratiating (Frosted (USA) x Obsequious (Lonhro))

Trainer: James Cummings

Jockey: Damien Oliver

Barrier: 11

A winner of the Listed Maribyrnong Trial on debut, Ingratiating has had a busy 2-year-old season, placing in the G3 Maribyrnong S. and G3 Chairman's S. before winning the Listed Talindert S. and then running a brave second to Artorius in the G1 Blue Diamond S. His only run the 'Sydney way' was when fifth in last week's Pago Pago S. at Rosehill.

All of his runs have been on Good tracks, so it’s not easy to get a read on his aptitude in the likely conditions this weekend. His dam, Obsequious, won a G3 San Domenico S. on Soft ground but failed in her only go on Heavy. His sire, Frosted, contested all his races on dirt, although the Tapit (USA) sireline have usually raced reasonably well on wet tracks in Australia.

A Godolphin homebred, Ingratiating's dam won the G2 Light Fingers S. as well as the San Domenico S. She is from the one-start winner Sycophant (Commands), who is a half-sister to G2 Tea Rose S.-placed Sydney Owner (Octagonal {NZ}).

Obsequious herself is a half-sister to Esperance (Bernardini {USA}), who has won five races from 18 starts. She has a yearling filly by Sepoy and now in foal to Russian Revolution, having been purchased by Hirsch Bloodstock for $27,500 last year.

No. 5 - Anamoe (Street Boss (USA) x Anamato (Redoute’s Choice))

Trainer: James Cummings

Jockey: Rachel King

Barrier: 16

Anamoe is another Godolphin colt who has been given plenty to do in his 2-year-old campaign. After contesting the Listed Debutant S., he won the Listed Merson Cooper S. at Sandown in November. Returning from a spell, he was a narrow second to General Beau (Brazen Beau) in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (Colts and Geldings) and then finished third, beaten 2.5l in the G1 Blue Diamond S.

He showed his versatility and fitness to defeat leading Slipper fancy Profiteer in an upset victory in the G2 Todman S.

He has never been on wet ground before in a race, although the progeny of Street Boss have a positive record in those conditions, striking at 14.1 per cent as compared to 11 per cent on dry tracks. His dam, Anamato, won a G3 SA Sires' Produce S. on a Soft track.

She also won a G1 Australasian Oaks and was placed behind Maldivian (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and Miss Finland (Redoute’s Choice) in the 2007 G1 Yalumba S.

Anamato herself is out of six-time winner and Listed Laelia S.-placed mare Voltage (Whiskey Road {USA}), making her a half-sister to the 1996 G1 Oakleigh Plate winner Drum (Marauding {NZ}) and the dam of seven-time Group 1 winner Grand Armee (Hennessy {USA}). Anamato has a yearling colt by Shooting To Win named Dartboard and is in foal to Blue Point (Ire).

No. 6 - Home Affairs (I Am Invincible x Miss Interiors (Flying Spur))

Trainer: Chris Waller

Jockey: James McDonald

Barrier: 2

Home Affairs has made quick progress in his first campaign, debuting with a second in the G3 Canonbury S. back in January and then winning the G2 Sliver Slipper S. He was then not far away when third in the G2 Todman S. which suggests he is up to the best of this crop of 2-year-olds.

He looks suited on the wet tracks having won the Silver Slipper S. on a Soft track. As a rule, the progeny of I Am Invincible are not as effective on rain-affected tracks, but his dam Miss Interiors was a wet track winner. She is a half-sister to Russian Revolution, who loved the wet and won the G1 The Galaxy on a Heavy 10.

Home Affairs was an $875,000 purchase by Coolmore's Tom Magnier at the 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale from the draft of his breeders at Torryburn Stud. His dam was a three-time winner and as well as Russian Revolution, boasts Group 3 winner Turbo Miss (Sebring) as a half-sibling. Miss Interiors has also produced the G1 Caulfield Guineas runner-up Aysar (Deep Field) and has a yearling colt by Capitalist and a foal colt by Dundeel (NZ). She visited Dundeel again last year.

No. 7 - Kalashnikov (Capitalist x Rough Ride (Flying Spur))

Trainer: Peter and Paul Snowden

Jockey: Mark Zahra

Barrier: 1

Kalashnikov has had an interesting 2-year-old campaign, starting favourite in the G3 Breeders' Plate, but not being able to live up to expectations in either that race or the subsequent Victory Vein Plate. He was then well-beaten in the Pierro Plate.

At that stage, his chances of making the Golden Slipper field looked grim, but he dropped back to an open age maiden at Gosford where he got the confidence of a hard-fought win. He then took that to the G3 Black Opal S. where he produced an upset success to book his place in the big dance here.

His hopes on a wet track are hard to read. He struggled on the Soft in the Pierro Plate but was able to rebound on similar footing at Gosford. As mentioned, Capitalist had little form on rain-affected tracks, while his dam, Rough Ride, failed in her two attempts on Soft.

Rough Ride is a half-sister to G1 Queensland Derby winner Eagle Way (More Than Ready {USA}), who handled wet tracks pretty well, as did her half-sister Impressive Eagle (Rubiton), who was also a stakes winner along with others from the same mare, Assertive Eagle (Danewin) and Soaressa (Twining).

At $600,000, Kalashnikov was the second most expensive first-crop yearling by his sire and was purchased by the man who purchased Capitalist as a yearling, James Harron, at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from his breeders at Segenhoe Stud. Rough Ride has a yearling filly by Shalaa, a foal filly by Hellbent and has since visited Dundeel.

No. 8 - Stay Inside (Extreme Choice x Nothin' Leica Storm (Anabaa {USA})

Trainer: Richard and Michael Freedman

Jockey: Tommy Berry

Barrier: 3

Stay Inside debuted with an impressive midweek win at Randwick in January and then backed that performance up by streeting his rivals by 4l in the Pierro Plate last month. That was enough to get him on Newgate's radar as a stallion prospect and he is one of a trio of colts in this race purchased by it in the past couple of months. He was then fourth, beaten just 1.7l in the G2 Todman S.

His Pierro Plate win on a Soft 7 gives every indication he should handle the wet track in this race. Extreme Choice himself never raced on wet ground and Stay Inside's dam Nothin' Leica Storm was not particularly effective on it in her three runs.

Bred by Kingstar Farm, before being purchased by Newgate for $60,000 as a weanling, he was then snapped up by the Freedman Brothers and Rick Connolly Bloodstock at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $200,000.

He hails from the extended family of G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Wonderful World (Agnes World {USA}) as well as stakes winners Husson Eagle (Husson {Arg}) and Wonderful Lass (Catbird).

Nothin' Leica Storm has missed to Extreme Choice on several occasions since foaling Stay Inside, but she did have a filly by Russian Revolution last year.

No. 9 - Rocket Tiger (Cluster x Takook (Keltrice))

Trainer: Scott Spackman

Jockey: Kathy O'Hara

Barrier: 14

Rocket Tiger is the fairy tale entrant of this year's Golden Slipper, as a homebred son of Cluster.

He has proven himself worthy of a shot at the world's richest 2-year-old race, with victories at Canberra and Randwick late last year, followed up with a close-up second to Home Affairs in the G2 Silver Slipper S. and a third in the G3 Black Opal S.

Trainer Scott Spackman has plotted his path to Rosehill with a real sense of timing and the lone gelding in the field has already shown his aptitude for wet tracks, within his win at Randwick on Boxing Day and second in the Silver Slipper. The progeny of Cluster, as a rule, perform quite well on tracks impacted by rain. His dam Takook was twice a winner on Soft tracks as well.

Bred by Noel Penfold, he doesn't quite boast the pedigree of his rivals in this race, with his sire standing for $5500 (inc GST) at Larneuk Stud. Takook has been a very consistent broodmare, producing nine winners from 10 foals to the track. You have to go back three generations on that side to find a black-type winner, the G3 SA Sires' Produce S. winner Niarchos (Space Cadet {NZ}).

Takook has a yearling filly sister to Rocket Tiger and produced a O'Lonhro colt last year before revisiting that stallion again.

No. 10 - O'President (Fastnet Rock x O'Marilyn (O'Reilly {NZ})

*SCRATCHED - MARCH 24*

Trainer: Chris Waller

Jockey: Glen Boss

Barrier: 8

O'President is another colt that has made significant improvement through the autumn. Debuting in the Kirkham Plate in October, he couldn't quite measure up, but returning to the track at Canterbury in January, he bolted in by 4l to break his maiden.

Off a four-week break he then led all the way to impressively win the G2 Skyline S., booking his spot in this race.

Significantly, both the big win at Canterbury and the all-the-way success at Randwick were on rain-affected tracks, which puts him in a strong position for this contest. Progeny of Fastnet Rock generally handle both wet and dry tracks, while his dam, O'Marilyn was twice a winner on Soft tracks and finished third in a R. Listed Karaka Million in similar conditions.

O'President was a $520,000 purchase for James Bester at the 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, the least expensive of O'Marilyn's three foals to go through the sales, with full siblings Circuit Five and Fifteen Ana fetching $1.8 million and $600,000 respectively. O'Marilyn won a G1 Manawatu Sires' Produce S. and is a half-sister to Group 1 winners Headturner (Anabaa {USA}) and Anacheeva (Anabaa {USA}).

O'Marilyn has a yearling filly by I Am Invincible, who is Lot 458 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, as well as a foal colt by Fastnet Rock.

No. 11 - Captivant (Capitalist x Speedboat (Commands))

Trainer: Peter and Paul Snowden

Jockey: Tom Marquand

Barrier: 9

Captivant debuted in impressive fashion in the Victory Vein Plate back in October, before finishing fourth in the Golden Gift where he started favourite. He has had just one start this campaign heading into the Golden Slipper, finishing third in the G2 Skyline S., 2.6l behind O'President.

That run was on a Soft track, as was the Golden Gift, which is some guide to how he will handle the conditions at Rosehill this weekend. As mentioned earlier, Capitalist himself only had one run on a Soft track, while Captivant's dam, Speedboat never saw wet ground. She is by Commands, whose progeny are usually fine on wet ground.

This colt was bred by Senga Bissett and was purchased out of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by China Horse Club/Newgate Bloodstock and Starlight Racing for $550,000 from Ashleigh Thoroughbreds' draft.

He is a half-brother to the winner Anna Cecilia (More Than Ready {USA}), while his dam, Speedboat, is a three-quarter sister to Group 2 winner First Command (Commands) and a half-sister to stakes winner Cross Current (Keltrice), from a family that includes Group 1 winners Crown Prosecutor (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) and Vinery Stud sire Headwater.

Speedboat has two colts by Hellbent since foaling Captivant, a yearling and a foal.

No. 12 - Glistening (Zoustar x Beethog (Shovhog))

Trainer: Richard and Michael Freedman

Jockey: Jean Van Overmeire

Barrier: 7

Glistening is the equal least-experienced runner in the Golden Slipper field, having run second on debut just a month ago in the Black Opal Preview before taking massive improvement in to the G2 Reisling S., leading all the way at big odds to cause an upset.

Whether she can do that again on a wet track is anybody's guess as she has no form on affected ground. The statistics don’t suggest that the progeny of Zoustar generally excel in these conditions, but her dam, Beethog, was a four-time winner on Soft tracks, including two stakes races.

Bred by Greg Ryan, Glistening was purchased for $260,000 by James Harron and the Freedman Brothers at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where she was offered by Widden Stud. Beethog has produced just one other runner to the track, the winner Osaycan (Starspangledbanner) and has a Zoustar yearling filly and a Nicconi foal filly, and is now in foal to Zousain.

Beethog is a half-sister to stakes-placed Gypsy Mai (Our Maizcay), the dam of Listed Canberra Guineas winner Rom Baro (Time Thief).

No. 13 - Four Moves Ahead (Snitzel x Doulmera (USA) (Mr Greeley {USA})

Trainer: John Sargent

Jockey: Nash Rawiller

Barrier: 10

Four Moves Ahead has also only been to the races twice before this Group 1 challenge. She debuted with an authoritative success on the Kensington track early in the year and off a seven-week break showed her quality with an excellent win in the G2 Sweet Embrace S.

Both her wins have been on rain-affected tracks, with her debut on a Heavy 8 and her latest win on a Soft 6. Her breeding suggests she should handle the going as well, with her half-sister Emeralds (Sebring) a winner on Soft. The progeny of Snitzel have a higher winning strike rate on Soft and Heavy tracks.

Four Moves Ahead was offered for sale at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale but was passed in short of her $300,000 reserve and retained to race by breeders GSA Bloodstock under its Pinecliff Racing operation.

Her dam, Doulmera, was unraced and is a daughter of Group 3 winner Daltaya (Fr) (Anabaa {USA}), who is a three-quarter sister to Dalghar (Fr) (Anabaa {USA}), and related to Group 1 winners Dalakhani (Ire) and Daylami (Ire).

Doulmera has since had a colt by Pierro, now a yearling, before missing the past two seasons.

No. 14 - Swift Witness (Star Witness x Taylor's Command (Commands))

Trainers: Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott

Jockey: Tim Clark

Barrier: 12

Swift Witness debuted with a fourth in the R. Listed Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic, where she was fourth. She then booked her spot in the Gold Coast Magic Millions race, when she won on a Soft track the week before the main race. She was well-supported in the $2 million feature, but failed to put her best foot forward.

She was freshened up for the autumn and performed with credit when second in the G2 Reisling behind Glistening, coming from well back in the field.

In terms of what challenge a Heavy track will present here, it appears it should be no major issue. She won on Soft as mentioned and the progeny of Star Witness are adept on wet or dry usually. It is worth noting that her dam Taylor's Command did fail to place in any of her five tries on wet ground.

This filly was bought by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott Racing for $260,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and is the fourth foal to race out of Taylor’s Command, making her a sister to Listed Gosford Guineas runner-up Terminology, who did have a win on Soft ground.

Taylor’s Command is out of Pristine Kristine (USA) (Spinning World {USA}), who is also the dam of G2 Queen Of The South S. winner So Pristine (Zabeel {NZ}) and Listed Queen Elizabeth II Cup winner Restored (Red Ransom {USA}).

Taylor’s Command has a yearling brother and foal sister to Swift Witness and again visited Star Witness in November last year.

No. 15 - Mallory (Not A Single Doubt x Panorama Ridge (USA) (Empire Maker {USA})

Trainers: Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou

Jockey: Jason Collett

Barrier: 6

Mallory was up and about early in her 2-year-old season, finishing second in the G3 Gimcrack S. before being sent for a spell. She returned with an excellent win on Soft ground in the G3 Widden S. in January and was then third, beaten 2.3l by Four Moves Ahead in the G2 Sweet Embrace S.

She has that quality that everybody wants in their 2-year-olds, that consistency of performance and it will be no surprise to see her in contention at the furlong marker in this race.

Her two Soft track performances indicate she should be fine to handle the track. It's usually no issue for the progeny of Not A Single Doubt. Her stakes-winning half-sister Sassy 'N' Smart (Smart Missile) didn't like Soft tracks but her grandam Nebraska Tornado (USA) (Storm Cat {USA}) won a Group 1 in France on a rain-affected surface.

She was retained by her breeders Arrowfield to race with a syndicate of owners and as well as Sassy 'N' Smart and Nebraska Tornado, has a host of other international stakes winners on her pedigree page.

Panorama Ridge, who was placed in the United States in her racing career, has produced five winners in total, and has a yearling colt by Pariah. She is in foal to Dundeel.

No. 16 - Queen Of Wizardry (Not A Single Doubt x Miss Hufflepuff (Encosta De Lago))

Trainer: Annabel Neasham

Jockey: John Allen

Barrier: 4

The approach to this race from Queen Of Wizardry is interesting, given she hasn't been seen on a racetrack since she finished fourth in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic back in January. That very creditable performance came two weeks after she debuted with an upset win at Eagle Farm.

Both of her starts have been on Good tracks, and her one exposure to wet ground was in a trial back in December, where she was beaten only a 1.5l margin.

As mentioned, the progeny of Not A Single Doubt can generally handle cut in the ground and her dam Miss Hufflepuff won her maiden on a Heavy track and was twice placed on Soft. Her grandam Miss Helga (Ire) (Alzao {USA}) won a stakes race in Ireland on a Soft track.

She was a $400,000 purchase for Aquis Farm at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale out of the draft of Tyreel Stud. Stakes winners Liberator (Encosta De Lago) and Etana (Shamus Award) also appear on her pedigree page.

She is the only winner to date out of Miss Hufflepuff, who has a Sebring yearling filly, a colt by The Autumn Sun and is now in foal to Yes Yes Yes.