Home Affairs back for round two in 2027 Golden Slipper nominations

Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan

The nominations for the 2027 G1 Golden Slipper Stakes have been locked in, with 1875 soon-to-be 2-year-olds vying for a spot at the starting gates on March 20 next year. TTR has reviewed the nominations to see who is dreaming of a Group 1 win and a slice of $5 million in eight months’ time.

The usual suspects

There are 923 colts and 952 fillies nominated this year, a total of 159 stallions have progeny nominated for next year’s Slipper. The top of the list contains no surprises; this year’s Slipper-winning sire Home Affairs, who achieved the rare feat of producing the Slipper winner in his first crop with Guest House, leads the way with 87 rising 2-year-olds nominated for the 2027 edition.

Table: Ten most represented sires in the 2027 G1 Golden Slipper Stakes nominations

The sire I Am Invincible is next in line, with over 70% of his 2024 crop nominated. While yet to sire a winner, his juveniles remain in high demand, and this year he produced the record breaker at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale in G2 Reisling Stakes winner Chayan, who changed hands for $5.6 million. Purchaser Tom Magnier has kept the rising 3-year-old in the hands of trainers Annabel and Rob Archibald.

Anamoe, the only first season sire in the top 10, is tied with Snitzel, who has 66 of his penultimate crop of foals amongst the nominations. Two of the last four Slipper winners have been by Snitzel in Marhoona and Shinzo, so he remains a safe bet with nominators to add a fourth winner to his record. Last year’s Champion Sire Zoustar comes in next with 60 offspring amongst the nominations.

The remaining five in the top 10 are a younger cohort of star stallions, featuring Champion First Season Sire Ole Kirk, Champion First Season and Second Season Sire Too Darn Hot (GB), Alabama Express, Slipper winner Stay Inside, and Justify (USA). This crop is Justify’s last crop of foals conceived in Australia, before his rise in the United States meant he has stayed put in the seasons since. In 2025, 17 foals were born in Australia after their dams travelled to visit him on Southern Hemisphere time.

Extreme Choice - who also earned the distinction of producing a Slipper winner in his first crop - sits just outside the top 10 with 33 nominated, representing 75% of his 2024 crop of foals.

Anamoe sends in versatile first crop

Twenty two first season sires are represented amongst the Slipper nominations, and yet again, it is no surprise to see Anamoe at the top of the list. The leading first season sire through the whole sales season and a juvenile Group 1 winner himself, his first foals were always going to be popular.

Table: Ten most represented first season sires in the 2027 G1 Golden Slipper Stakes nominations

His top-priced yearling, a $1.1 million colt out of Listed winner Secret Trail (Denman), has been nominated by trainer Ciaron Maher.

Diatonic (Jpn) is the next sire with the most nominations, with 27 from his first crop born on Southern Hemisphere time amongst the 2027 nominees. The five-time Group winner was most effective over 1400 metres and was third in Japan’s prestigious 1200-metre G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen. His top-priced yearling, a $650,000 filly out of dual Group 1 winner Snapdancer (Choisir) bought by Matt Laurie Racing and Willannah Park Bloodstock, has been nominated by Yulong Investments.

Dual Group 1 winner Jacquinot and G1 Golden Rose Stakes winner In The Congo tie for third place amongst first season sires, with 25 nominees apiece. Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, who trained In The Congo, and Kestrel Thoroughbreds purchased the stallion’s top-priced yearling, a $625,000 colt out of six-time metropolitan winner Stolen Jade (So You Think {NZ}), and have nominated him for the race.

Ciaron Maher Bloodstock and David Redvers Bloodstock purchased Jacquinot’s top-priced yearling, a $425,000 colt out of well-bred winner Bonheur (I Am Invincible), and have nominated him as well.

Artorius, Hitotsu, and State Of Rest (Ire) round out the first season sires with 10 or more nominees. G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner and twice Royal Ascot visitor Artorius has 21 of his first crop amongst the nominations. Triple Classic victor Hitotsu and G1 Cox Plate hero State of Rest tie with 12 each.

Ciaron Maher leads trainer nominations

Between trainers and owners, 170 individual entities have nominated horses for the 2027 Slipper. Ciaron Maher sits on top of the trainers by number, with his 119 nominees making up 6.3% of the total nominations.

Table: Top 10 trainers with the most nominees in the 2027 G1 Golden Slipper Stakes nominations

While he has yet to win the Slipper, he has come close a few times; pre-race favourite Coolangatta (Written Tycoon) was third in 2022, Away Game (Snitzel) came second to Farnan in 2020, and Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible) was fourth the year before.

Gai Waterhouse, on her own and in partnership with Adrian Bott, hold the record for the most Slipper winners, having trained eight, most recently Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon) in 2024 and successful sires Farnan, Pierro, and Sebring. The partnership has 100 nominations for the 2027 renewal, including the $2.2 million Too Darn Hot son of Enbihaar (Magnus) they purchased in partnership with Watership Down Stud and McKeever Bloodstock.

Lindsay Park Racing are next with 88 nominated, just two more than Chris Waller, who trained 2023 victor Shinzo - whose first weanlings arrived on the scene this year, and sold for up to $600,000.

Waller has entered five more offspring of Snitzel for 2027’s race, four of which he bought at the sales himself, including the $850,000 daughter of G2 Silver Shadow Stakes winner Omei Sword (High Chaparral {Ire}).

The Hayes brothers’ 88 includes their two biggest yearling purchases in 2026; the $610,000 Anamoe colt out of Nieta (Nicconi) and the $520,000 Ghaiyyath (Ire) colt out of Dom Perion (Redoute’s Choice), both bought in partnership with Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock (BAFNZ).

Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, trainers of Guest House, have 52 entries for next year’s event.

Yulong keen to claim a Slipper

Amongst the owners, Yulong has the biggest hand with 117 nominations in their name. Their nominees include foals from some of the most elite mares in their broodmare band, including the likes of dual Group 1 winner Hungry Heart (Frankel {GB}), In Her Time (Time Thief), Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands), Berimbau (Shamardal {USA}), and the first foal from Montefilia (Kermadec {NZ}).

Table: Owners with 10 or more nominees in the 2027 G1 Golden Slipper Stakes nominations

Blue Diamond winner and Slipper runner-up Streisand (Magnus) will return in their silks this spring.

Coolmore Stud, who secured Guest House after his Slipper victory for a figure reported to be in the region of $30 million, come in next with 20 nominees.

Their entries include the full brother to G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes and Coolmore resident Switzerland, for whom they paid $2 million at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in conjunction with James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership and Tony Fung Colts, and the $1.5 million Snitzel son of Iffranesia (Fr) (Iffraaj {GB}), whose current 3-year-old Beadman (Snitzel) is a two-time Group 3 winner.

Notable nominees

So far, 273 nominees have been named, and amongst their number are some intriguing relations.

Among Peter Snowden’s entries is Terfeshaneh (Home Affairs), the last foal from Al Anood (Danehill {USA}) and a half-sister to Blue Diamond winner and sire Pride Of Dubai.

Clayton Douglas has nominated Abrivado (Dubawi {Ire}), the son of Godolphin’s champion filly Alizee (Sepoy), and Godolphin has also nominated Asperity (Pinatubo {Ire}), the daughter of Blue Diamond victress Earthquake (Exceed And Excel).

Gary Portelli has nominated Yokoso (Anamoe), the daughter of Slipper winner Kiamichi (Sidestep), while Michael Freedman has nominated Azyaa (Extreme Choice), the $1.1 million daughter of Fashion Faux Pas (USA) (Flatter {USA}).

Amongst Ciaron Maher’s group is Seamless (Lonhro), a half-brother to G1 VRC Derby hero Observer.

A highlight amongst Annabel and Rob Archibald’s contingent is Amelia’s Diamond (Siyouni {Fr}), the full sister to Amelia’s Jewel.

Amongst the unnamed cohort are some of this year’s most expensive purchases, including the $3 million Extreme Choice colt out of Pretty Brazen (Brazen Beau) and $2 million Frankel (GB) colt out of Antibes (Lonhro) for Coolmore, and the $2 million Extreme Choice colt out of Giza Goddess (USA) (Cairo Prince {USA}) for Matthew Laurie.

And, not to be missed, the other $2 million Extreme Choice colt, out of Hazlebrook (Hinchinbrook), nominated by Yulong.