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| Staff Writer |
The glittering US$3.3m Golden Slipper reaches its 2025 renewal with a stellar field of 16 promising juveniles preparing to contest the world's richest race for 2YOs at Rosehill Gardens later this week.
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Long-time favourite Wodeton heads a competitive field for Australia's most coveted juvenile contest, with Chris Waller's charge bidding to deliver on early promise after suffering two recent defeats.
James Cummings' filly Tempted has emerged as Wodeton's chief rival after a blistering Gr.2 Reisling Stakes victory, while the unbeaten Rivellino and last weekend's Gr.3 Pago Pago Stakes winner Skyhook boast solid credentials in what promises to be a fascinating renewal.
The all-important barrier draw has significantly boosted the chances of several leading contenders, with many of the market principals securing favourable starting positions for the 1200m contest.
Long-time ante-post leader Wodeton will sport winkers for the first time, with Waller electing to apply the new gear to his Wootton Bassett colt.
"We didn't go with the full blinkers, we've gone the winkers just to help him concentrate probably more the second half of the race, not the first half, we want to switch him off and relax," the master trainer said at Tuesday's barrier event.
"The winkers will help that and make him focus the last bit."
Waller, who captured this prize two years ago with Shinzo, has indicated a change of tactics for Wodeton, who remains at the head of affairs despite suffering defeats in both the Gr.3 Silver Slipper and Gr.2 Todman Stakes.
"Now he has had three races under his belt, we've learned he can be ridden that touch much conservative, put the handbrake on and be able to finish off," Waller said.
"We have done that in a couple of his track workouts, and they've been very good so we will ride him more conservatively."
James McDonald, Australia's premier jockey, maintains the partnership with Wodeton, while dual Slipper-winning rider Blake Shinn has secured the ride on Tempted.
The Godolphin filly burst into contention with a brilliant effort from the back to win the Reisling, clocking a time more than half a second faster than the colts managed in the Todman on the same card.
Kris Lees' unbeaten colt Rivellino brings a perfect three-from-three record to the race. The son of Cosmic Force has displayed both tactical versatility and battling spirit when capturing both the Inglis Millennium and Gr.2 Skyline Stakes.
Hong Kong-based Hugh Bowman jets in to partner Rivellino, giving the colt every chance of maintaining his unblemished record.
Last weekend's dominant Pago Pago Stakes winner Skyhook will tackle the seven-day turnaround – a strategy that delivered Golden Slipper success for both Shinzo (2023) and Kiamichi (2019).
The Written Tycoon colt, trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, has co-trainer Alexiou reporting him to have recovered well from his exertions.
"He's come through the race particularly well," Alexiou said. "Nice and bright, ate up, had a good drink of water at night, which has helped. Really happy with how the week started out."
"He's got good gate speed. He'll begin sort of slide across with that speed and hopefully he can land a nice spot somewhere."
The Ryan and Alexiou stable will also be represented by King Of Pop, winner of the Gr.3 Black Opal Stakes.
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Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott field three representatives as they bid to enhance their superb Golden Slipper record, led by North England, who shaped encouragingly when running-on fifth in the Todman Stakes.
The son of 2020 Golden Slipper winner Farnan caught the eye early in the season when landing the Golden Gift but missed an engagement in the Silver Slipper due to an irregular blood count.
"We haven't had to change too much. We knew the adjustments we were going to have to make in terms of the program," Bott said.
"It was changing our expectations in the lead-up and what to expect with the end result. But in saying that, we've been able to get him to where he needs to be now. We just needed that bit of extra time to get him there."
North England will be joined by stablemates Bellazaine and Farcited in the contest.
Bott says of Bellazaine: "She is one who will push forward. She has got the speed to offset that."
"We've seen her absorb and handle pressure in her races. She was in a high-pressure race last start and she stuck on very well."
On Farcited, who narrowly missed out on King Of Pop in the Black Opal Stakes, he added: "We always looked at a potential Sires' campaign with him and had it been a nose finished the other way in the Black Opal, we would have been preparing for this race."
"As it worked out, the way the field fell, it's a really good target race for those horses going through their preparations towards the Sires'. He is a big chance to run a big race as well."
Blue Diamond hero Devil Night will attempt to become the first horse since Sepoy in 2011 to complete the Blue Diamond-Golden Slipper double. Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes' colt showed significant improvement when capturing the Caulfield feature.
The Hawkes team also saddle West Of Swindon. The colt split Beiwacht and Wodeton in the Silver Slipper and his only other appearance was a promising effort behind North England in the Golden Gift.
Michael Freedman's filly Marhoona pushed Tempted close when finishing runner-up in the Reisling Stakes and will be partnered by top jockey Damian Lane.
Bjorn Baker's talented filly Within The Law has consistently impressed thanks to her powerful finishing burst and looks a threat again this week.
Other contenders include Peter Snowden's colt Quietly Arrogant, who finished strongly in the Skyline Stakes, and James Cummings' Silver Slipper winner Beiwacht.
Young jockey Tom Stockdale has secured a career highlight after landing the ride on Military Tycoon in this week's showpiece. The Ciaron Maher-trained filly, who captured the Gr.3 Ottawa Stakes at Flemington earlier this month, will be the stable's sole representative after connections paid the final acceptance fee to confirm her participation.
The field is completed by the Ben, Will & JD Hayes-trained Tycoon Star, who ran fourth in the Todman Stakes after finishing strongly in the Blue Diamond, with Mark Zahra in the saddle.
Two emergency runners standby should there be any late withdrawals: Brett Cavanough's country-trained filly Alabama Magic, a three-start maiden who finished third in the Magic Night Stakes, and Nepotism from the Hawkes stable, who caught the eye with a fast-finishing effort in the Todman Stakes after being held up in the straight.
With a capacity field of Australia's most precocious juveniles set to face the starter, the 2025 Golden Slipper promises to deliver another thrilling chapter in the race's storied history.