Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Being born earlier in the season should be an advantage for a juvenile race because the horse has a month or two longer to mature. For the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes, it would seem logical that early foals are more likely to win than later foals, and this is correct for the most part - but an early birth date is just one factor of many that go into the creation of a Slipper winner.

A long reaching influence

For a race that is one of the youngest majors in Australia, the G1 Golden Slipper has had a massive influence on the Australian Thoroughbred. Created in 1957 by George Ryder and the Sydney Turf Club to put Rosehill on the map, the G1 Golden Slipper was The Everest of it’s day. The race, at set weights for 2-year-olds, was added to the calendar to add prestige and excitement to the autumn and bring crowds to Rosehill.

“Australia has the strongest 2-year-old racing of anywhere in the world and the Slipper is the pinnacle. It’s the race that works out the order of merit for the year and is something that’s lodged in Australian heritage. All the best stallions in Australia have come through a Slipper campaign, and it’s the goal of every yearling buyer to get there,” said Kia Ora Stud’s Shane Wright.

Arrowfield’s Jon Freyer agrees. “To win a Slipper, one of the key factors is that the horse has to have natural ability and precocity. They haven’t been in training long and don’t have lots of training under their belts. The best 2-year-old trainers are those that harness a horse’s natural precocity and ability and just let them do it.

“In the Classic races, the training has more impact, but you can’t create a Slipper winner. They have to have ability, and that’s why they make good stallions because that natural x-factor is transmissible.”

Date of birth of Golden Slipper winners

The Australian Stud Book’s online data only recorded the date of birth with precision since 1975, and since then, there have been 47 G1 Golden Slipper winners. Of those, 66 per cent were born in August and September, while in 2022, only 51 per cent of the foal crop were born in those months. So yes, there is an advantage to being born in August or September.

Table: Month of birth for Golden Slipper winners against foal crop

When you break this down further, August has almost no advantage with 18 per cent of the foal crop born then, and 21 per cent of Golden Slipper winners. It is September who carries the biggest advantage with 33 per cent of all foals born in 2022 being September foals, but 45 per cent of Golden Slipper winners were born in September.

It’s always hard to draw concrete conclusions from only 47 winners, but with nearly half of them being born in September, it does appear to be a factor.

Kia Ora Stud’s G1 Golden Slipper winner Farnan enjoyed his first stakes winner last weekend when King Of Pop won the G3 Black Opal Stakes.

“We couldn’t be happier with how Farnan has started. North England won the Golden Gift earlier in the season and now King Of Pop and Farcited have quinelled the Black Opal and are proving to be lovely colts. North England and King Of Pop are both good chances going into the Slipper, and it’s a rare thing for a first season sire to have two live chances. It shows the quality of the stock Farnan has out there.”

Farnan was born in early October, and when asked about why he stood out as a relatively later foal among Slipper winners, Wright felt there were other factors which were more important.

“It’s still a quarter of winners (in October). I do think when you are at the sales, date of birth is a factor only because horses look more mature, and what buyers are really looking for when they try to purchase a 2-year-old runner is a horse who looks like he’ll go early physically. One that is strong and mature, but more importantly, has a good temperament. Temperament, makes such a huge difference in the juvenile season, you need a horse with mental maturity.”

The three November foals

Since 1978, only three November foals have won the G1 Golden Slipper, and they all became breed-shaping stallions. Rory’s Jester was born on November 17, 1982, Danzero on November 15, 1991 and Flying Spur on November 4, 1992. Both Danzero and Flying Spur stood at Arrowfield Stud.

“They were three fabulous sires and all were big strong colts,” said Freyer.

“Rory’s Jester was a beast of a thing and both Danzero and Flying Spur were Arrowfield graduates and were big horses and mature yearlings from the start.

“Flying Spur and Danzero were both tall horses and very strong. Rory’s Jester wasn’t as tall, but he was a bullock, muscular and broad. Of our two, Danzero was more of a beast than Flying Spur who had more refinement and quality.

Gallery: November-foaled, breed-shaping stallions from Arrowfield that won the G1 Golden Slipper, images courtesy of Arrowfield

“Both were by Danehill who had a massive influence on the Slipper, but left a few different types of horses. Merlene was a small, neat, attractive filly who showed brilliant ability from day one. She was a very different style of horse to Danzero and Flying Spur. Danewin was also big and strong, but looked more like a 3-year-old type. The common factor was that they could all gallop with loads of ability and great temperaments.”

With only 13 per cent of all foals in Australia being born in November, it can be a question of opportunity. “You don’t get many November foals now. The later born foals can often be ready to go if they are the right type. Some can catch up quickly, it depends on their DNA, but it’s clearly an advantage to have a month or two of extra development time (for the Slipper).”

Rory’s Jester died at Swettenham Stud in 2007. “Rory’s Jester was a little bit before my time, but I do have a story on him and the Slipper and after,” said Adam Sangster.

“Basically he was owned by a syndicate headed up by the Bignells, and the Hayeses and I remember Colin Hayes always saying, he had the most amazing double forearm muscle. And he wasn’t fashionably-bred, Rancher and that great Australian family. It was very much as Hayes said, ‘speed is the easiest gene to breed.’

“The stallion was up at the old Collingrove. A gentleman named Souron Vanion was the guy who owned the farm up in the Hunter. Colin saw (Rory’s Jester)’s first yearlings, and he was so impressed that he phoned up my father (Robert Sangster) and said, ‘Listen Robert, I think we should go and look at this stallion, and I think we should buy him. He’s a Golden Slipper winner and he’s thrown some yearlings.’

“Dad said yes go and do it. 48 hours later, Colin had been to the farm, and he rang up my father on the Isle of Man and he said, ‘Robert we’ve managed to secure Rory’s Jester, and at the same time we’ve also secured a 1500 acre farm.’ We had to buy the farm to buy Rory’s Jester and really the rest is history.”

What about the 2025 G1 Golden Slipper?

Of the top 20 active horses in the current Golden Slipper order, only one is November born being the colt Aleppo Pine (Blue Point {Ire}) who is 19th in the order. The rest are all born in August (six), September (seven), and October (six).

Table: Birth month of the top 20 active horses entered for the 2025 G1 Golden Slipper

This year’s Slipper field is slightly skewed towards August but essentially follows the same pattern as the winners of the past. Who will win? We only have to wait a couple of weeks to find out.

Table: Order for G1 Golden Slipper as at March 10, 2025

Cover image courtesy of Cambridge Stud

Pleasure Queen continues her dam’s fruitful relationship with Trapeze Artist

Just in time for the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, another graduate from the 2024 edition strikes on the track; Pleasure Queen (Trapeze Artist) was offered by Widden Stud on behalf of Bert Vieira last year, and on Thursday was a winner on debut at the first race on Kensington’s card for Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou. The filly sat wide for most of the trip under Joshua Parr, before surging forward once straightening and passing eventual third-placed Hellabella (Hellbent), with Scrumptious (Tassort) on her heels to finish 0.94l back. She makes the 54th winner for her sire for the season, and Widden Stud announced via X that she would head to the G2 Percy Sykes Stakes next.

Co-trainer Sterling Alexiou was pleased with the result, “she’s just been steadily improving all preparation. She’s come a really long way the last six or seven weeks and, as you can see, she’s still pretty raw, but she’s got a bit of a motor there.

“Mentally, she seems to be going the right way and taking everything in her stride, and I think Bert and the family are going to have a bit of fun with her.” He confirmed that the Percy Sykes would be next, and expected her to improve off of her debut run.

Dam Perfect Pleasure (Pierro) has had a bit of a love affair with Trapeze Artist, having visited him for her first five seasons at stud. This also marks her third winner from three runners; first-born Trapeze Pleasure (Trapeze Artist) is a dual-winner, followed by Pleasure Artist who was second in the Listed Dulcify Stakes, before two fifth-placed finishes at Group 1 level. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the 3-year-old filly, who is trained by Richard and Will Freedman, try again at stakes level, considering she was only beaten 2.16l in the G1 Spring Champion Stakes and 3.65l in the G1 VRC Oaks. She is nominated for Wyong on Monday to kick off her autumn campaign.

Perfect Pleasure delivered another full brother in the Spring before visiting Widden’s newest stallion, Sweet Ride. Unraced herself, she comes from good stock, being a half-sister to G2 Queensland Guineas winner Torio’s Quest (Oratorio {Ire}) and Listed Starstruck Classic winner Bippo No Bungus (Dubawi {Ire}), whose daughter Samiam Seussie (Hinchinbrook) was a winner and stakes-placed as a juvenile.

While the offspring of Trapeze Artist no doubt improve by age, it’s not a big surprise that he can strike with juveniles as well, particularly as the autumn gets underway; he won the G3 Black Opal Stakes, which ran last weekend, and was third in the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes. All of his stakes winners have come as 3-year-olds, but he is tracking at 20.3 per cent winners to runners with his juveniles, which rises to 42.6 per cent with his 3-year-olds.

The weekend may bring a change again to those statistics, as he has two daughters accepted for the G3 Magic Night Stakes - the last chance for juveniles to rack up enough prizemoney for a shot at the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes. His Group 3-winning son Ducasse resumed with a win this autumn and heads to the G2 Ajax Stakes on Saturday as well.

Widden Stud return to Adelaide this week with five offspring of Trapeze Artist, highlighted by Lot 368, a filly out of Listed Cap d’Antibes Stakes winner Fox Swift (Foxwedge).

Stormland thunders home to give Hello Youmzain fourth Southern Hemisphere winner

A new winner for Hello Youmzain (Fr) launched on Thursday with the victory of his son Stormland (NZ) in the juvenile colts and geldings race at Kensington.

A $325,000 purchase for Darby Racing and deBurgh Equine at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Cambridge Stud, Stormland was sent out by Ciaron Maher off of the back of one public trial late in February and settled midfield for Jason Collett in the 1000-metre contest. Once early leader My Mate Elvis (Time To Reign) started to tire, Stormland was able to slide past him and let down for a 0.44l win over a very fast-finishing Grand Prairie (Written Tycoon), a fellow debutante.

It’s not surprising that Darby Racing would fork out for a close relation - via third dam Legally Bay (Snippets) - to Group 1 stars Merchant Navy and Joliestar (Zoustar). TAB Racing Club saw the same depth, outlaying NZ$180,000 for his half-sister by fellow Cambridge Stud resident Sword Of State at this year’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.

The colt is Hello Youmzain’s fourth winner from his first Southern Hemisphere-bred crop, bred from a NZ$30,000 service fee (plus GST) that is likely to see a rise across the next few seasons if his Northern Hemisphere performance can be repeated. The Haras d’Etreham-based stallion has taken a bump to his fee up north in 2025, jumping from €22,500 ($38,763) to €40,000 ($68,912) following the exploits of his first Northern Hemisphere crop, which include G3 Prix Eclipse winner Electrolyte (Ire) and G3 Prix des Chenes winner Misunderstood (Ire).

The fourth highest-priced offspring to date by Hello Youmzain in the Southern Hemisphere, Stormland was both the third runner and second winner for his sire in Australia, which makes for good statistics; his other two winners and a total of nine runners have been in New Zealand. He is the only first season sire to have more than one winner in New Zealand, although he sits third by prizemoney behind Lucky Vega (Ire) and Bivouac. His offspring have had a few cracks at stakes level, with his daughter Hello My Dear (NZ) running fourth in the Listed Wellesley Stakes in January.

Cambridge Stud’s Sale and Nominations Manager Scott Calder is encouraged by the response that breeders have had to their shuttle stallion, telling The Thoroughbred Report, “Hello Youmzain bred 126 mares last year, which was up from the previous season. He had a good level of support on the back of some positive results with his first yearlings, but he definitely picked up momentum through the season as his European 2-year-olds started to perform well. We saw them really progress through the season, so I think that bodes well for the rest of the season down here.

“Stormland, Remala, and Lucy In The Sky (his New Zealand winners) are all horses to follow, and what we find most encouraging is his progeny seem to be taking after their sire’s racing characteristics. They generally show good tactical speed, and really pin their ears back and try hard in the finish.”

Cambridge Stud offer one of two offspring of the sire at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale; Lot 192 out of Steer By The Stars (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) replicates the sireline’s existing success with the dam, as her stakes-winning son Never Back Down (Ire) is by Hello Youmzain’s sire Kodiac (GB). A dual winner herself, Steer By The Stars is a close relation to G1 Spinster Stakes winner Aruna (USA) (Mr Greeley {USA}).

An interesting parallel between the two stallions: both from the Danehill (USA) sireline, they were both Group stakes winners as juveniles, and trained on to perform into their 4-year-old season; in fact, they were both Group 1 winners at three and four, both over sprinting distances - all of Hello Youmzain’s wins came over six furlongs, or 1200 metres, whereas Trapeze Artist stretched a little further to 1400 metres. It is not easy for a stallion to remain a sprinter as they age and testosterone increasingly makes weight a battle, but Danehill’s influence wouldn’t perpetuate to this day if his stock didn’t produce top quality race horses.

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

One of Thursday’s highlights at Kensington was an exhibition gallop from unbeaten 3-year-old filly Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) as she prepares to make a return to the races on March 22. She has been hailed as one of the best fillies in Australia, and her return to the turf has been much anticipated by many - but perhaps most by Arrowfield Stud’s John Messara, who refers to the filly as his "favourite topic of conversation".

“I was very happy with the gallop,” he shared with The Thoroughbred Report. “Importantly, the trainer and the jockey were very happy. James McDonald was very pleased, she gave him a very good feel. And Chris was happy with her. I think he’s got her pretty right to go for the Darby Munro next Saturday week, so we’re eight sleeps from her next start.”

A slow build-up of fitness

We may have only seen her for three starts so far, but what a phenomenal three starts they have been. In a spring where many stars emerged from debuts in benchmark company, Autumn Glow shone bright in her rise to Group 2 company, with three victories averaging a 1.9l margin back to second place.

Days before she was due to clash with Arrowfield-bred Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) in the G1 Flight Stakes, a fetlock chip was discovered that needed to be removed and she was scratched for surgery. The Waller team have been cautious with Autumn Glow's preparation ahead of her return to the races; she missed out on the G1 Surround Stakes, her originally jumping off point, at the beginning of the month to instead trial once more.

It has taken her a “fair while” to get fit after a lengthy post-operative spell, first on box rest, and then in a yard.

“I think she got quite fat internally,” Messara said. “It’s taken her a while to get fit. You could see, after a gallop or a trial, she would have a really good blow, and it’s only today that, for the first time, she just had a healthy blow.

“She’s in the hands of a champion trainer, and she's being ridden by a champion jockey, and they know what they're doing.”

A flawless record

In three starts, Autumn Glow has defeated 12 stakes performers; subsequent Listed Exford Plate winner Dawn Service (Justify {USA}) ran second to her in her debut, and Just Party (Justify {USA}), who had been third as a juvenile behind Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}) in the Listed Fernhill Handicap, also returned to stakes company following defeat with a second-place in the G2 Callander-Presnell Stakes.

Four more subsequent stakes performers found themselves beaten at Autumn Glow’s next run in the G3 Up And Coming Stakes; Enriched (I Am Invincible) is the best among them, having won the Listed Fireball Stakes at his most recent start last weekend.

“It was great to see him fulfill some of the potential he’s been showing for the last 12 months or so,” trainer Michael Freedman told the Australian Turf Club after the colt’s emphatic win on Saturday. “He’s very talented and I think he can go further.”

Autumn Glow stepped it up again in her win in the G2 Tea Rose Stakes next; her narrowest margin of 1.16l, but still beating the likes of G2 Silver Shadow Stakes winner Ameena (Tassort), G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Manaal (Tassort), and G2 Reisling Stakes winner Erno’s Cube (Rubick). In fact, she beat a field of five stakes winners or subsequent stakes winners, and a grand total of six stakes performers, plus $1 million Inglis Sprint winner El Morzillo (Star Witness) and juvenile winner More Territories (Territories {Ire}), who has been just outside the placings in several stakes events.

Had she come to hand sooner, we could have seen Autumn Glow return in the G1 Surround Stakes - won by Lady Shenandoah - or the G1 Coolmore Classic this weekend, but her fitness has caused a rethink. Messara is happy to be patient.

“We've had to recast the plans at the moment,” he said. “We're saying to ourselves, ‘Let's run her in that race on Saturday week’, which is open company (in the Listed Darby Munro), so it won't be that easy. It’s not against her own sex. We think she's good enough to compete, and we'll see how she goes there as to where her next assignment could be.

“There are a number of possibilities, including the Arrowfield Sprint on the second day of the championships. We obviously will be aiming to try and get to a Group 1 at some stage. We had three of them in mind before we started this campaign, but because she took a while to get fit - she's a big girl too now—you can only do so much at a time.”

The world is Autumn Glow’s oyster, for Messara.

“She has a will to win, she's got a lovely action, she’s got a gorgeous pedigree, and she's got a terrific temperament,” he added. “She's got everything, really.”

A showdown with Lady Shenandoah

Saturday’s Coolmore Classic is another near miss with Lady Shenandoah, who was purchased from Arrowfield by Hermitage Thoroughbreds—Arrowfield's partners in Autumn Glow, and lines up as the most favoured runner in the race.

“We’re thrilled for them,” Messara said. “She has won the races that we were going to compete in, but it has been a nice consolation prize for Arrowfield to have her win those races for us because if we couldn’t do it, we certainly wanted her to do it.”

Lady Shenandoah hasn’t raced outside of stakes company since her first start as a 2-year-old in May of last year, when she met Clean Energy (Zoustar) and finished in the placings. Her first-up win in the G3 Ming Dynasty Stakes had her beat eight existing or subsequent stakes performers, including Henlein (Dundeel {NZ}), who was second in the G1 Spring Champion Stakes by 0.36l, and Mayfair (Fastnet Rock), who was denied by 0.33l in the G1 Golden Rose Stakes.

The field at her next start in the G1 Flight Stakes was only small, but has a springboard for the form of those in defeat; runner-up Harlem Queen (Brutal {NZ}) followed it up with two meritorious fourth placings in the Spring Champion and the G1 VRC Oaks, fourth-placed Powers Of Opal (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) was second in the G2 Wakeful Stakes and the Oaks, and the progressive Snow In May (The Autumn Sun) took out the Listed Canberra Guineas on Sunday. Lazzura (Snitzel) improved over her summer break to run third in the G1 Surround Stakes last start to Lady Shenandoah, with a late stage surge that suggests she could really factor in the finish this weekend in the G2 Phar Lap Stakes.

Perhaps the biggest feather in Lady Shenandoah’s cap is her repeat defeat of Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) this preparation; in two meetings, she has had it over the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes-winning filly, although she had to dig deeper in their Surround Stakes clash to come out on top.

If they were to meet, Lady Shenandoah has the edge in terms of greater raceday experience and having already collected two top-flight wins, but Messara has confidence that Autumn Glow could shine through.

“I’ve got enormous confidence in Autumn Glow, but she’s still got to do it at the very highest level,” he said. “You have to bow to performance, and at this stage, she’s (Lady Shenandoah) better performed than ours - but ours hasn’t had the opportunity. So it’ll be interesting to see when we do get the opportunity, either in Group 1 races or against her, just how we go.”

That could come as soon as in four weeks’ time, as both fillies hold nominations for the G2 Arrowfield 2YO Sprint and the G1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes on April 12. Chris Waller - who trains both fillies - shared in his weekly video update on X that Lady Shenandoah is unlikely to stretch out to the 2000 metres of the G1 Vinery Stud Stakes, but could well be freshened after Saturday and make the field for the Queen Of The Turf. If they were to meet in the latter race, Autumn Glow would be jumping from 1200 metres to the mile, but would be back racing against her own sex.

“Oh, I’m very confident,” Messara added. “I feel Autumn Glow will acquit herself very well.”