Road To The Slipper - The Ultimate Golden Slipper backgrounder

Cover image courtesy of Sportpix

TDN AusNZ readers will know we have been running a regular 'Road To The Slipper' column, ranking the leading Slipper chances since late January. Seven of the 10 horses we highlighted in that initial edition on Janaury 25 are in the field, including five of the top six.

Star filly Coolangatta (Written Tycoon) has been a long-time favourite for this race and has topped the Road To The Slipper lists in each of the four editions, while juveniles like Sejardan (Sebring), Best Of Bordeaux (Snitzel) and Russian Conquest (Russian Revolution) have been constantly towards the top of the list, and are considered among the leading chances on Saturday.

1. Daumier

Epaulette x Illustrate (Street Cry {Ire}), colt

Trainer: Anthony and Sam Freedman

Jockey: Mark Zahra

Purchased: N/A

Breeder: Godolphin Australia

Owners: Godolphin

Road To The Slipper rankings: January 25: - N/A, February 2: N/A, February 16: N/A, March 3: 4th

Daumier's tough win in the G1 Blue Diamond S. puts him right in the mix for Golden Slipper calculation as he looks to become the first horse in 11 years to win both 2-year-old Group 1 features. In what is an even year, he is tracking the right way and has the professionalism to figure in the Rosehill race.

His debut win in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (Colts and Geldings) was very good, and while he was beaten in the subsequent Prelude, finishing third, things panned out well for him at Caulfield.

He became the first Group 1 winner line-bred to the great mare Eight Carat (GB) (Pieces Of Eight {Ire}) when taking out the G1 Blue Diamond S. A grandson of Eight Carat's grandson Commands out of a mare whose dam sire is Lonhro by Eight Carat's son Octagonal (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), he is one of the 17 stakes winners and three Group 1 winners for Epaulette who was exported to Turkey last spring.

He is out of the unraced Illustrate (Street Cry {Ire}), daughter of the dual Group winner Parables (Lonhro) whose dam is the Listed winner Fairytales (Night Shift {USA}), half-sister to the dual Group winner Thackeray (At Talaq {USA}) and to the dam of the Group 1 mare Politeness (Street Sense {USA}) as well as to the grandam of the G1 Manawatu Sires' Produce winner On The Bubbles (Brazen Beau).

Illustrate has a Brazen Beau yearling colt, Ukiyoe, and visited Brazen Beau again last year.

2. Sejardan

Sebring x Miss Amajardan (Hinchinbrook), colt

Trainer: Gary Portelli

Jockey: Jason Collett

Purchased: $160,000 by Portelli Racing at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale from the draft of Middlebrook Valley Lodge

Breeders: Dalrhon Investments

Owners: Mrs K J Portelli, Dale Miller, Miss H A Wallace, Mrs D Wallace, Mr T W Wallace, Mrs S L Wallace, Mr A Roden, Valeri Racing, Mrs A McDonnell, Team Mcdonnell, Mr R J Galloway, Ms K Wood, Mr G A Smith, Mrs M J Pancia, Mrs B Barker, Mr S Lynch, Mr D J Delaney, Mr M J Delaney

Road To The Slipper rankings: January 25: - 2nd, February 2: 2nd, February 16: 7th, March 3: 7th

Sejardan has been the top-ranked colt since winning the G3 Breeders' Plate in October and held a position in the top 10 of our Road To The Slipper throughout. He didn't quite live up to expectations first-up in the R. Listed Inglis Millennium, where he finished third, but showed his professionalism winning the G2 Todman S. on a Heavy track in his final lead-up run.

He backed up that fast-finishing win in the G3 Breeders' Plate in October by spotting his rivals a start and beating them in the $1 million Golden Gift at Rosehill in November.

Sejardan hails from the final crop of the 2008 Slipper hero Sebring. He is the second foal for the Metropolitan-winning juvenile Miss Amajardan (Hinchinbrook), half-sister to the stakes-placed multiple city winners Blazing Miss (Sizzling) and Tristate (Headwater).

He is one of the seven Group winners bred on the Sebring/Encosta De Lago cross; one that provides for a cross of the latter's grandam Rolls (USA) (Mr Prospector {USA}), dam of the former's dam sire Flying Spur (Danehill {USA}).

A descendant of the 1945 G1 Melbourne Cup winner Rainbird (The Buzzard {GB}), he has as his fourth dam the G3 Tristarc S. winner Procrastinate (Jade Hunter {USA}) who did such a great job at stud with her 12 winners including the South African star Laisserfaire (Danehill {USA}) and the local stakes winners A Time For Julia (Redoute's Choice), Time Thief (Redoute's Choice), Foreplay (Danehill {USA}) and Personify (Galileo {Ire}) - in turn dam of the G1 VRC Oaks winner Personal (Fastnet Rock).

Miss Amajardan has a yearling colt by Trapeze Artist which sells through the Bhima draft at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, while she then had a Capitalist colt in September before returning to Trapeze Artist.

3. Best Of Bordeaux

Snitzel x Chateau Cheval (High Chaparral {Ire}), colt

Trainer: Kacy Fogden

Jockey: Sam Clipperton

Purchased: $425,000 by Kacy Fogden Racing at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Baramul Stud

Breeder: Gerry Harvey

Owners: Fung Family Racing, Mr G Harvey, K F R

Road To The Slipper rankings: January 25: 2nd, February 2: 6th, February 16: 5th, March 3: 3rd

Best Of Bordeaux backed up his impressive win in the G3 Canonbury S. in January with a dominant all-the-way win in the G2 Silver Slipper S. at Rosehill on February 19.

He blitzed his rivals from the front on debut, winning by 4.6l, before a more measured performance last time out on a softer track. The Silver Slipper has been a great source of quality colts over the years.

Bred by part-owner Gerry Harvey, the $425,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale graduate is one of the 119 stakes winners for his Champion Sire Snitzel, whose daughter Estijaab won this race in 2018.

He is out of the city winner Chateau Cheval (High Chaparral {Ire}), daughter of the stakes-placed Lady Capel (Last Tycoon {Ire}), dam of four stakes winners - the G1 Chipping Norton S.-winning successful sire Casino Prince (Flying Spur), the G3 Tramway H. winner Tagus (Encosta De Lago), the dual Listed winner Lord Of The Land (Timber Country {USA}) and the Listed Hinkler H. winner Metallurgical (Redoute's Choice).

Also able to claim amongst his relations the Group 1 winners Onemorenomore (Red Ransom {USA}) and Green Birdie (Catbird), Best Of Bordeaux boasts a cross of the great mare Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}) via Redoute's Choice and Try My Best (USA) (Northern Dancer {Can}).

Chateau Cheval has not had a foal since Best Of Bordeaux but visited Written Tycoon last year.

4. Shalatin

Shalaa (Ire) x Arcadia Delight (Domesday), colt

Trainer: Joseph Pride

Jockey: Nash Rawiller

Purchased: N/A

Breeder: D and J Morison

Owners: Mr N B Couper, Mr D C Morison, Mr I G Cornell, Mr A J Falk, Mr H G H Mccathie, Mr P R A Falk, Mr P W Callaghan, Mr G J Robinson, Mr R M Johnston, Mr I McKinnon, Mr A McKinnon

Road To The Slipper rankings: January 25: 8th, February 2: 9th, February 16: 8th, March 3: N/A

Shalatin resumed in the G2 Silver Slipper S. finishing seventh in a performance that poised more questions than it answered. He then tackled the Todman S. where he was beaten 1.8l by Sejardan.

Joe Pride's Shalaa (Ire) colt also had two starts in the spring, making significant ground in the Kirkham Plate, where he ducked and weaved late to finish fifth. He did the same in the Golden Gift where he was only beaten 0.25l by Sejardan in second.

He is the first of three Slipper 2022 runners for his Arrowfield Stud-based G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S.-winning sire.

His dam Arcadia Delight (Domesday) is out of the outstanding broodmare Arcadia (Redoute's Choice) - dam of the triple Group 1 winner Arcadia Queen (Pierro), the G2 WA Derby winner Arcadia Dream (Domesday), the G3 AJ Scahill S. winner Arcadia Prince (Pierro) and the Listed Belgravia S. winner Arcadia Rose (Kheleyf {USA}).

Arcadia's stakes-placed dam Antique (Metal Storm {Fr}) is dam of the Listed winners Broadway Belle (Redoute's Choice) and Antique Belle (Redoute's Choice) and grandam of the dual Group 1 winner Regal Power (Pierro) and the G2 WA Derby winner Action (Pierro).

Hailing from a prolific Bob and Sandra Peters family, he carries three strains of Danzig (USA) and a cross of Roberto (USA) (Hail To Reason {USA}).

Arcadia Delight foaled a Capitalist filly last year before returning to Shalaa.

5. Jacquinot

Rubick x Ponterro (Pierro), colt

Trainers: Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr

Jockey: Hugh Bowman

Purchased: Passed in at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale when offered by Coolmore Stud

Breeder: Lindsay Maxsted

Owners: Mr S J Tuxen, Ms K N Cooper, Mr L P Maxsted, Mr N J Maxsted, Mr P K Allen, Mrs C D Allen, Mr G J Hayes, Ms H Hayes, G P I Racing

Road To The Slipper rankings: January 25: 5th, February 2: 4th, February 16: N/A, March 3: 6th

Jacquinot was an excellent run in the G1 Blue Diamond S. where he ran third beaten a very small margin, storming home from the back of the field. He has developed a bit of a habit of missing the start, which doesn't make it easy for him.

He created a huge impression on his debut at Caulfield on Boxing Day, rushing home from the rear of the field to win running away by 2.75l in the green and royal blue hoops of his breeder and part-owner Lindsay Maxsted. He was then well-backed but only fifth when missing the kick at his second start.

He is by Rubick, sire of three stakes winners and is the first foal for the unraced Ponterro (Pierro). Seeking to be the first stakes winner for Pierro as a broodmare sire, he is out of a full sister to the two-time Group 2 winner Dragon Leap and half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner Inference (So You Think {NZ}). His third dam is the Listed Morphettville Guineas winner Liberty Rose (Royal Academy {USA}), dam of the Listed Crawford S. winner Grand Jardin (Redoute's Choice) from the family of the Group 3 winners Kanzan (Commands) and Ranier (Lonhro).

Bred on a 4 X 4 Danehill (USA) cross, Jacquinot also boasts close up duplications of two excellent mares - Fairy Bridge (USA) (Bold Reason {USA}) via her sons Fairy King (USA) and Sadler's Wells (USA) and Shantha's Choice (Canny Lad) via her grandson Rubick and son Redoute's Choice.

Ponterro has a Yes Yes Yes foal colt, a three-quarter brother to Jacquinot and visited Wootton Bassett (GB) on a later cover last year.

6. Sebonack

Capitalist x Profound Wisdom (Al Samer), colt

Trainers: Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes

Jockey: William Pike

Purchased: $260,000 by Spendthrift Australia at the 2021 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale from the draft of Sledmere Stud

Breeder: Mrs A Caldwell

Owners: R & C Legh Racing Pty Ltd, Spendthrift Australia Pty Ltd, Glentree Racing, Mr G R Lechte

Road To The Slipper rankings: January 25: N/A, February 2: N/A, February 16: 9th, March 3: N/A

Sebonack was very impressive on debut, winning the G3 Chairman's S. at Caulfield and stamping himself as a serious chance for the Group 1 juvenile features. He was able to show a terrific turn of foot to get himself out of a tricky spot early and won that 1000-metre race by a comfortable 1.25l on the line.

He followed that up with a fourth, beaten only 1.15l after closing fast in the G1 Blue Diamond S. and comes into this race at just his third start.

Bred by Ayliffe Caldwell, he is one of the seven stakes winners for his sire Capitalist, who won this race in 2016. He is out of the city winner Profound Wisdom (Al Samer), half-sister to the G2 Skyline S. winner Santos (I Am Invincible) (who was 13th behind Estijaab four years ago) and the G3 Sho Ocean S. winner Melagrana (Fastnet Rock).

His relations include the Group 1 winners Fat Al (Al Maher) and Shaftesbury Avenue (Salieri {USA}) and the Group winners Adeewin (Snaadee {USA}), Fatoon (Snaadee {USA}) and Agincourt Express (Agincourt {USA}) as well as the durable Listed winner Jivago (Snaadee {USA}), winner of 18 races.

Carrying crosses of the terrific mares Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}), Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Spring Adieu (Can) (Buckpasser {USA}) and Flower Bowl (USA) (Alibhai {GB}), Sebonack also boasts strong male line-breeding with close up crosses of Mr Prospector (USA), Danehill (USA) and Vain.

Profound Wisdom has a Rubick yearling filly and a Dundeel (NZ) filly foal, while she visited Farnan last year.

7. Rise Of The Masses

Russian Revolution x Ruud Awakening (Bernardini {USA}), colt

Trainers: Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott

Jockey: Tim Clark

Purchased: N/A

Breeders: Go Bloodstock

Owners: Go Bloodstock

Road To The Slipper rankings: January 25: N/A, February 2: N/A, February 16: N/A, March 3: N/A

This colt has snuck up on many this autumn, having won on debut at Kembla Grange last December. He set the speed in the Pierro Plate on resumption, only to be run down late and then employed similar tactics in the G2 Skyline S., again to be overrun.

Third time lucky, he chanced his arm all the way in the G3 Pago Pago S. last week and held on to book himself a place in the Slipper.

He hails from the debut crop of Russian Revolution who is very well-represented here. His dam is the G1 ARC Diamond S. winner Ruud Awakening (Bernardini {USA}) who was crowned Champion 2-Year-Old of New Zealand in 2012/13. Her dam Dawn Almighty (Danehill {USA}) is a half-sister to the Listed Razor Sharp H. winner Chester County (Hennessy {USA}) and to the dam of the dual Group 2 winner Rudd Van Slaats (NZ) (Van Nistelrooy {USA}).

Bred on a 4 X 3 cross of Danehill (USA) via a son and daughter, Rise Of The Masses also boasts duplications of the influential mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Almahmoud (USA) (Mahmoud {Fr}) and Flower Bowl (USA) (Alibhai {GB}).

Ruud Awakening has a yearling filly by I Am Invincible and then produced a Snitzel three-quarter sister to Rise Of The Masses last year before heading to Extreme Choice.

8. Coolangatta

Written Tycoon x Piping Hot (More Than Ready {USA}), filly

Trainers: Ciaron Maher and David Eustace

Jockey: James McDonald

Purchased: $280,000 by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Milburn Creek

Breeders: Highclere Stud Australia

Owners: Mr J A O'Neill, Mr A Kheir, Mr B D Nettlefold, Mr D Edmonds, Ms K L Solomon, Mr V Kheir, Carty Racing, Mrs D A Bourne, Group 1 Bloodstock, Mr A P Scafidi, Yes Bloodstock, Solscaf Racing

Road To The Slipper rankings: January 25: 1st, February 2: 1st, February 16: 1st, March 3: 1st

There were a few eyebrows raised when the decision was made not to run Coolangatta in the G2 Sweet Embrace S. and instead plan on tackling the G1 Golden Slipper S. first-up. Indeed, her hold on favouritism has been slightly loosened although no clear contender to her supremacy as Australia's leading 2-year-old has emerged while she has been off the racetrack.

She has done absolutely nothing wrong in her career to date, winning the G3 Gimcrack S. by 3.4l in October, taking out the G3 BJ McLachlan S. on her resumption in December before justifying her short quote in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic with victory in the $2 million Gold Coast feature, defeating Russian Conquest (Russian Revolution).

Coolangatta is out of the two-time (from just four starts) Sydney winner Piping Hot (More Than Ready {USA}), daughter of the G2 Moonee Valley Oaks winner Ribe (Danehill {USA}) whose other seven winners include the G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Reaan (Hussonet {USA}). Ribe's grandam is the G3 Colin Stephen H. winner Pontiac Lass (NZ) (Pevero {Ire}).

With his strong Mumtaz Mahal (GB) (The Tetrarch {GB}) influence, Written Tycoon picks up well with further strains and it is interesting to note that Coolangatta’s third dam sire Kaapstad (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}) is a descendant.

Piping Hot has a Dundeel (NZ) filly set to sell at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, while she returned to Written Tycoon having missed last year.

9. Revolutionary Miss

Russian Revolution x Purcentage (Onemorenomore), filly

Trainer: Peter and Paul Snowden

Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy

Purchased: $195,000 by Triple Crown Syndications at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Sledmere Stud

Breeder: China Horse Club

Owners: Triple Crown Syndications, Big Blue Stallions, Mr J C Williams, Mr C Johns, Mr J A Forrest, Mr J P Sennitt, Mr B Nelson, Mr R M Nicholson, Mr M E Hardwick, Mr W D'cruz, Mr P B Haigh, Dr C A Pitt, Sluggo, Mr J S Veivers, Mr D N Hamlin, Mr L C Crocicchio, Mr B F Rippingale, Nedicki

Road To The Slipper rankings: January 25: N/A, February 2: N/A, February 16: 6th, March 3: 5th

The Russian Revolution filly showed her talent from the get-go with two seconds, on debut on New Year's Day and in the G3 Widden S. before announcing herself as a genuine top-liner when she won the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies), sweeping past her rivals.

She looked set to do the same thing in the G1 Blue Diamond S. but found Daumier just too tough to run down, but with the record she is building and the fact she has experience going the clockwise direction, puts her in with a real chance in the Slipper.

The Slipper will be her fifth run of the campaign, which may be one run too far for her, but that's the only real query.

She is one of the three Slipper 2022 runners from the debut crop of her sire. She is the second stakes winner for the stakes-placed Purcentage (Onemorenomore) whose son Equation (Press Statement) won last year's Listed Canberra Guineas.

Purcentage is a daughter of the Listed Gimcrack S. winner Spurcent (Flying Spur), half-sister to the G1 Hong Kong International Mile winner Glorious Days (Hussonet {USA}) and the Listed Dunedin Guineas winner Bangalore Bullet (Hussonet {USA}).

A descendant of the G1 VRC Oaks winner Sanderae (NZ) (Oncidium {GB}), Revolutionary Miss boasts a 5 X 6 cross of her sire's high-achieving fourth dam Fanfreluche (Can), arguably Northern Dancer's (Can) finest daughter. Putting a seal on a lovely pedigree, Revolutionary Miss is also line-bred to the great mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}) and Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}).

Purcentage produced a brother to Revolutionary Miss, who sold for $250,000 to Danny O'Brien at this year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

10. Russian Conquest

Russian Revolution x My Conquestadory (USA) (Artie Schiller {USA}), filly

Trainers: Peter and Paul Snowden

Jockey: Tommy Berry

Purchased: $425,000 by Snowden Racing at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Newgate

Breeders: SF Bloodstock and Blake Sandblom

Owners: Snowden Racing Pty Ltd, Newgate S F, Hollymount Stud, Mr I Partington, Mr B A Noble, Mr K A Noble, Mrs M Noble, Mr D J Barker, Mr J T Partington

Road To The Slipper rankings: January 25: 4th, February 2: 3rd, February 16: 3rd, March 3: 2nd

Russian Conquest's race record to date is very strong and has seen her win at Newcastle and Randwick before an excellent performance when second in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, running Coolangatta to a margin of just 0.2l.

She was then freshened up before returning through the G2 Reisling S. where she finished a creditable fourth on a track which she didn't seem quite at ease on.

She is out of the imported G1 Alcibiades S. winner My Conquestadory (USA) (Artie Schiller {USA}) whose Northern Hemisphere-born son Bourbon War (USA) (Tapit {USA}) is a Group 2-placed, two-time winner.

Russian Conquest's stakes-placed grandam Golden Artemis (USA) (Malibu Moon {USA}) is a half-sister to the dam of the Listed winner Artie B Good (USA) (Artie Schiller {USA}).

Russian Conquest is a descendant of - and line-bred to - the outstanding broodmare Marguerite (USA) (Celt {USA}) whose son Fighting Fox (USA) (Sir Gallahad {Fr}) appears in the pedigree of Russian Revolution's great-grandsire Danehill (USA). Also of interest in regards to Russian Conquest's pedigree is her 5 X 6 cross of the wonderful mare Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}) via her son Nureyev (USA) and grandson Sadler's Wells (USA).

My Conquestadory produced a Snitzel filly, a three-quarter sister to Russian Conquest, last August and then visited Exceed And Excel.

11. Queen Of The Ball

I Am Invincible x Miss Debutante (Fastnet Rock), filly

Trainers: Richard and Michael Freedman

Jockey: Rachel King

Purchased: N/A

Breeder: Go Bloodstock

Owners: Go Bloodstock Australia

Road To The Slipper rankings: January 25: N/A, February 2: 5th, February 16: 2nd, March 3: N/A

Placed in the Kirkham Plate in the spring, Queen Of The Ball resumed with a brilliant all-the-way win in the G3 Widden S. at Rosehill in late January. She won that race in the fastest time in a decade with a clear margin of 3.8l over her rivals on the line and a slick 33.08s for the final 600 metres.

However, she struggled second-up in the G2 Silver Slipper S. beaten 2l, requiring a trip to Canberra last Sunday to try and earn her spot in the final Slipper field. She did that with an all-the-way win in the G3 Black Opal S.

She is one of the 75 stakes winners for her star Yarraman Stud-based sire who is shooting for his first Slipper winner. She is the first foal for the speedy Miss Debutante (Fastnet Rock) who won four of her eight starts for Go Bloodstock.

Queen Of The Ball is a member of a long line of female stakes winners - her dam a Listed winner whilst her grandam More Than Real (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}) took out the G2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf S. Her third dam Miss Seffens (USA) (Dehere {USA}) was five times successful at Listed level and her fourth dam Noise Enough (Can) (Bold Ruckus {USA}) was a Listed winner at two.

Bred on a 4 X 4 Danzig (USA) cross, Queen Of The Ball also carries duplications of the excellent mares Natalma (USA) (Native Dancer {USA}), Almahmoud (USA) (Mahmoud {Fr}) and Somethingroyal (USA) (Princequillo {Ire}).

Miss Debutante's Zoustar yearling filly sold for $600,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January. A Written Tycoon filly follows while the mare went to Flying Artie last year.

12. Fireburn

Rebel Dane x Mull Over (So You Think {NZ}), filly

Trainer: Gary Portelli

Jockey: Brenton Avdulla

Purchased: N/A

Breeder: Laurel Oak Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Grant Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Carpe Diem Syndicate

Owners: Laurel Oak Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Mr R M Gunston, Mr R I Cullen, Mr J V Murphy, Mr A N Fitzgerald, Mr J Davis, Ms C Morony, Miss A Wilson, Mr M W Powell, Ms VI Latimore

Road To The Slipper rankings: January 25: N/A, February 2: N/A, February 16: N/A, March 3: 8th

Rebel Dane filly Fireburn has simply got better with every run in her 2-year-old campaign. Beaten into fourth on debut in Warwick Farm in December, she has put together a hat-trick of wins. She won at Randwick, beating Revolutionary Miss at the Kensington track and then resumed off a let-up in the G2 Sweet Embrace S., relishing the heavy conditions to win well.

It was a win of a filly headed in the right direction and given where Sydney's weather is heading at the moment, that Heavy track experience can not be discounted.

She is Rebel Dane's second stakes winner from his first 13 runners. She is the first foal for the winner Mull Over (So You Think {NZ}), a half-sister to the dual Listed winner Galizani (Galileo {Ire}) and granddaughter of the G1 Flight S. winner Danarani (Danehill {USA}). The first stakes winner for So You Think (NZ) as a broodmare sire, Fireburn carries Danehill (USA) and Nijinsky II (Can) duplications.

Mull Over has a Hallowed Crown yearling colt and visited Pierata at Aquis last season.

13. Ojai

Exceed And Excel x Matilija (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}), filly

Trainer: James Cummings

Jockey: Chad Schofield

Purchased: N/A

Breeder: Godolphin

Owners: Godolphin

Road To The Slipper rankings: January 25: 10th, February 2: N/A, February 16: N/A, March 3: N/A

Ojai won the Kirkham Plate well on debut at Randwick in October and then ran a close-up third to be the first filly home in the Golden Gift, beaten just 0.7l by Sejardan.

She resumed with a well-beaten fifth in the G3 Widden S. but improved off that to run fourth in the G2 Silver Slipper, only 2l from Best Of Bordeaux. She was then third in the G2 Reisling S. Most importantly, she tends to maker her own luck near the pace in her races.

She attempts to become the second Slipper winner for her sire Exceed And Excel who was represented by the 2013 winner Overreach. Bred on a 3 X 4 Danehill (USA) (Danzig {USA}) cross, she is out of the two-time, Group 3-placed Matilija (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) whose dam is the dual Group winner Romneya (Red Ransom {USA}).

Ojai's third dam is the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude winner Mannington (Danehill {USA}) - dam of the G1 VRC Derby hero Benicio (More Than Ready {USA}) and the G3 Show County H. winner Roheryn (Lonhro). And Mannington's dam is Bint Marscay (Marscay) who won this race 29 years ago.

Matilija has a yearling Zoustar colt called Los Padres and returned to Exceed And Excel in 2021.

14. Seven Veils

Shalaa (Ire) x Mesmereyeser (Redoute's Choice), filly

Trainer: Mark Newnham

Jockey: Joshua Parr

Purchased: N/A

Breeder: Dr P H Hughes & Dr C M Rogers

Owners: Dr P H Hughes & Dr C M Rogers

Road To The Slipper rankings: January 25: N/A, February 2: N/A, February 16: N/A, March 3: N/A

Seven Veils heads into the Slipper as one of the least experienced runners having had just two runs. She debuted with a second in a Kensington maiden in February and then tackled stakes company in the G2 Reisling S., leading all the way on the Heavy track to book her spot in this race.

She has come a long way in a short time, with the question being if it may be too soon for her.

She is one of the five stakes winners for her Arrowfield Stud-based, dual Group 1-winning sire. Sadly her dam Mesmereyeser (Redoute's Choice) (a Rosehill winner also bred by Hughes and Rogers) passed away only recently with her final foal being a full sister to Seven Veils. Mesmereyeser is one of the three Metropolitan winners for her dam Intralase (Spinning World {USA}) whose grandam is the G1 Thousand Guineas winner Copperama (Comeram {Fr}) - ancestress of the Group 1 winners Danendri (Danehill {USA}), Bonham (Per Incanto {USA}), Faint Perfume (Shamardal {USA}) and Danestorm (Danehill {USA}) as well as the recent G1 Chipping Norton S. runner-up She's Ideel (Dundeel {NZ}), winner of last year's G3 Kingston Town S.

Seven Veils is bred on a 4 X 4 X 4 Danzig (USA) cross via his sons Green Desert (USA), War Chant (USA) and Danehill (USA).

15. Lady Laguna

Overshare x Catalina De Lago (NZ) (Encosta De Lago), filly

Trainer: Annabel Neasham

Purchased: Private

Breeder: Spendthrift Australia

Owners: O T I Racing, Mr P D Williams, Mr J R Cahill, Mrs B H Gilbert, Mr J P Spence, Mrs J T Spence, Mr R Menchise, Dr P G Van Buynder, Mr J A Boyd, Mr A L Boyd, Mrs J Rubira, Persephone Racing, Mrs J Pilloni, Mr C M Ellis, Tight Lines Racing, Mr R Bow, B M P H, Ms L Gillespie, Mrs H Ridout

Road To The Slipper rankings: January 25: 6th, February 2: 10th, February 16: 10th, March 3: 10th

Lady Laguna has been a bit of a favourite of the Road To the Slipper top 10. She was beaten behind Fireburn in the G2 Sweet Embrace S. but was far from disgraced. Prior to that, she put in an excellent run first-up from a freshen up, when second, beaten just 0.2l by Cythera (I Am Invincible) in the Listed Lonhro Plate.

She still looks capable of more improvement, which augurs well going forward and Neasham will have her peaking towards the Slipper off a three-week lead in.

She is from the debut crop of Spendthrift Australia's G3 Zeditave S. winner Overshare and is out of the dual city winner Catalina de Lago (NZ) (Encosta De Lago), the half-sister to the G2 Edward Manifold S. winner She Will Be Loved (Strategic) and to the dam of the dual Group winner Luke's Luck (Show A Heart).

Hailing from the family of the Group 1 winners All Thrills Too (St Covet), Danzdanzdance (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel), Lady Laguna has three Special (USA) (Forli {Arg}) strains - her grandsons (and full brothers) Sadler's Wells (USA) and Fairy King (USA) and her grandson Nureyev (USA).

Catalina de Lago has a yearling filly by Bolt D'Oro (USA) and visited Overshare again last spring

16. She's Extreme

Extreme Choice x Keysbrook (So Secret), filly

Trainer: Anthony Cummings

Jockey: Brett Prebble

Purchased: $275,000 by Anthony Cummings Thoroughbreds at the 2021 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale from the draft of Willow Park Stud

Breeder: Aquis Farm

Owners: Dorrington Farm (Mgr: R J Crabtree), A R McAnulty, Mrs L Mcanulty, Mrs M N Annetts, Robert Willis Bloodstock (Mgr: R S Willis), J G Richards & M G Buys

Road To The Slipper rankings: January 25: N/A, February 2: N/A, February 16: N/A, March 3: N/A

She's Extreme has emerged relatively late on the scene to get herself into the Golden Slipper. Fourth in that same maiden Seven Veils ran second in on February 16, she then ran an excellent race when beaten only by Fireburn in the G2 Sweet Embrace S.

She was then a dominant winner of the G3 Magic Night S. last weekend, booking her place in the field. She certainly looks well-placed to handle the Heavy track off those performances.

Looking to make it two Slippers in a row for her sire Extreme Choice from his first two crops, she was purchased by trainer Anthony Cummings at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

Bred on a 4 X 4 Danehill (USA) cross via his sons Redoute's Choice and Danetime (Ire), she is the second live foal for the G2 WA Derby runner-up and G3 WA Oaks placegetter Keysbrook (So Secret) - a dual city winner whose first foal is the four-time winner (from 14 starts) Ruru (So You Think {NZ}).

Keysbrook is a half-sister to the Listed Mona Lisa S. winner Brasileira (Commands) from the family of stakes winners Le Mans (Quest For Fame {GB}), Jorda (Exceed And Excel), Espaaniyah (I Am Invincible), Detours (Ad Valorem {USA}), Aichi (Strategic), Kinschachi (Commands) and Hioctdane (Strada).

Keysbrook's Lean Mean Machine yearling filly recently sold for $150,000 at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale. She has not had a foal since then and missed last season.