Had Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin machine not landed a winning double with Anamoe and Emanate, Golden Slipper day would have been a wipeout for racing’s major players. The smaller stables plundered six of the remaining eight races like a flock of marauding seagulls. It was pure theatre from go to whoa.
Let’s take it from the top! The Midway went right down to the wire with Achira prevailing in a heart stopping finish from Fantastic Baby. For jockey Robbie Dolan the win was a timely tonic. The young Irish jockey was dreading having to watch his favourite horse Profondo go around in the Rosehill Guineas with a new jockey. By the end of the day, Profondo was the furthest thing from his mind.
I’m sure trainer Lee Curtis was aware that Achira’s win came exactly twenty years after his first Group 1 success with Mistegic in the 2002 Galaxy. Today Lee trains in partnership with his wife Cherie. The couple had the distinction of setting the theme for a Slipper day to remember.
Mazu gave his thirteen owners a massive thrill as he continued on his winning way in the Darby Munro Stakes. Racing in the conspicuous colours of Triple Crown Syndications, Mazu notched his fifth win from just nine starts. Three of those wins have been at stakes level. Before this day was over, a respected bloodstock agency would deliver a spectacular result.
But first to another facet of this wildly unpredictable business - the fascination of the cheap yearling. In an era when insane prize money has driven yearling prices into another stratosphere, horses like Monegal give the battlers some inspiration. Early in her training career, Theresa Bateup was a regular at the Scone sale. She enjoyed success with several “cheapies”, but the Monegal story is something else.
The jury was still out on the filly’s sire Lope De Vega when Theresa threw in the winning bid of $3000 at the 2017 Scone sale. Five years on Monegal has a record of ten wins and ten placings with four of those wins on city tracks. She’s just a “round of drinks” short of $650,000 in prize money. Elite sprinters like Gytrash and Santa Ana Lane have ensured that yearlings by Lope De Vega are no longer in the $3000 bracket. Theresa may have spared a thought for that Scone yearling sale when her Lope De Vega filly careered away for a valuable Gr 3 win in the Epona Stakes.
Jason Collett may have had some detractors when he got going on Montefilia at the 600m in the Ranvet Stakes. It appeared he was simply making Verry Elleegant’s job easier by giving her the perfect “cart up”. The tactics won the race for the giant striding Montefilia. “Not only can she stay all day, but she has to be allowed to use her stride,” says trainer David Payne. “Jason and I talked it over before the race and decided we would be taking off in front of Verry Elleegant no matter what.”
Observers on and off course were waiting for Verry Elleegant to put Montefilia away as they straightened for home. At the 200m it was James McDonald who was looking agitated, as Collett put the big mare into overdrive. Montefilia’s autumn programme was impeded when she returned an elevated white cell count in a blood sample many weeks ago.
“The original plan was to start her off in the Chipping Norton then go to the Sky High Stakes, followed by the BMW and into the Sydney Cup fourth up,” said David Payne. “We had to treat her and give her ten days off which put an end to Sydney Cup plans. We were happy enough with her Chipping Norton run which brought her on enormously for Saturday’s race. While she still has some speed in her legs we’ll have a crack at the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. She’s gone from a lightly framed filly to a powerfully built mare. She’s all grown up now.”
Just when the fans were beginning to think the fairy tales were all over for one day, an absolute “belter” emerged in the Golden Slipper. Pony sized Fireburn overcame a hefty check in the middle stages to score a win reminiscent of Belle Du Jour’s freakish victory in 2000. The Fireburn story is well documented. She’s by Rebel Dane, a stallion nobody wanted when his racing days were over. Her dam Mull Over was one of a handful of mares purchased by a Laurel Oak breeding syndicate for the express purpose of getting Rebel Dane started at stud. Fireburn was the first foal. Her second is a Hallowed Crown colt who’s about to be broken in. Mull Over missed the following season, but is currently in foal to Pierata. She’s suddenly worth many times more than the $22,000 she brought at a Gold Coast broodmare sale. Laurel Oak founder Louis Mihalyka says Fireburn’s Slipper success has triggered expressions of interest in Rebel Dane from several high profile studs.
Laurel Oak began operations in 1986 dealing exclusively in yearlings. Today, under the skilful management of Louis Mihalyka the company offers a wide range of bloodstock services including the occasional yearling syndication. It was Louis who put together the syndicate of nine who are currently enjoying a magical ride with the little filly who hates to get beaten. Fireburn’s five starts have yielded four wins and $3,081,750. She came out of the race unfazed and will definitely go on to the Sires Produce. A Champagne Stakes tilt will be considered after the second leg of the big treble.
The sidelights of Saturday’s Slipper triumph are many. It will resurrect the career of Brenton Avdulla who was sidelined for months after sustaining an undisplaced fracture of the C7 vertebrae in a Randwick fall last August. A Slipper win so soon after returning to the saddle is beyond his wildest dreams. For popular Warwick Farm trainer Gary Portelli, a second Slipper win consolidates his burgeoning reputation as a master trainer of two year olds.
Racing enthusiasts who relish a good story were more than satisfied after Fireburn’s “Cinderella” win, but there was one more headline act waiting in the wings. Keen judges were convinced Shelby Sixtysix had enough ability to stretch the opposition in the Galaxy. Whether or not he could handle eight runs in as many weeks was the most commonly asked question as start time approached for the Gr 1 sprint. Doubters should simply have had faith in the judgement of the very astute Danny Williams who knows the horse backwards.
Admittedly eight runs in eight weeks is more than most thoroughbreds have in a full preparation. The busy work schedule is offset by the fact that the gelding does little more than stretch his legs between runs. Shelby Sixtysix also happens to be a gluttonous eater who gains weight overnight.
Down through the years the best horse trainers have been those with the power of observation. Danny Williams has been relying on that instinct for several weeks now.
Shelby did what he’s been doing since winning his TAB Highway on February 26th - sitting back, getting into his rhythm and attacking the line with purpose. To Danny the Gr 1 win was the realisation of a life’s dream. To jockey Robbie Dolan it was the restorer of the confidence he lost when replaced on Profondo after the Australian Guineas. Robbie boasted the best strike rate of any jockey competing at Rosehill on Saturday - two rides for two wins. Sam Clipperton was snapping at his heels with two wins and two seconds from four rides. In Shelby Sixtysix the Australian Turf Club has a ready made drawcard for the Championships.
There hasn’t been a dull Golden Slipper day since Todman christened the concept in 1957. There’s something about sixteen inexperienced babies hurtling around a horseshoe shaped course that gets the adrenaline pumping - human and equine. Rosehill has hosted some unforgettable Slipper days. This one may have been the best yet.
(Banner image - Brenton Avdulla didn't know what to do first when he realised he'd won The Slipper - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics)