2021 Golden Slipper runner-by-runner preview & tips | 27/03
| What | Golden Slipper |
| Where | Rosehill Gardens Racecourse – James Ruse Dr, Rosehill NSW 2142 |
| When | Saturday, March 27, 2021 | 4:30pm AEDT | Race 7 |
| Prizemoney | $3,500,000 |
| Distance | 1200m |
| Status | Group 1 |
| Race Conditions | Set weights | 2YO |
| 2020 Winner | Farnan – 56.5kg (12) | Jockey: Hugh Bowman | Trainer: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
| Watch Live | |
The Golden Slipper has attracted a quality 15-horse field and will be run on Saturday, seven days later than we expected, due to torrential rain and flooding around Sydney. The $3.5M event over 1200m is a test of speed, strength, and tactics, with this year’s edition being no different, given the track is going to be in the Heavy range. Some big names are due to line up, with Magic Millions winner, Shaquero; Blue Diamond winner, Artorius; and Inglis Millennium winner, Profiteer all in the mix. Profiteer is the current $4 equal favourite, along with Richard & Michael Freedman’s colt Stay Inside. Artorius and Four Moves Ahead are the only other runners in single figures.
Speed map
As is always the case with most big field sprint races, there is speed aplenty. Profiteer has shown blistering gate speed in all three of his runs, so too has filly Glistening and Chris Waller’s duo, Home Affairs and Shaquero. Stay Inside has drawn gate three, which will see him settle handily. Rocket Tiger’s outside alley will force him forward, Kalashnikov will be positive from the inside gate and Four Moves Ahead can be thereabouts. Godolphin duo Ingratiating and Anamoe will both get back from their wider barriers, while Artorius will be saved for one last crack at them from barrier 13.
Golden Slipper runner-by-runner preview
Here is our Golden Slipper betting analysis from the in-form Nick Lloyd.
1 – Shaquero (15)
Trainer: Chris Waller | Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy (56.5kg)
Shaquero put the writing on the wall very early in his career that he would be competitive in a race of this nature, when winning the Breeder’s Plate on debut over 1000m. The son of Shalaa had three runs after that in Queensland, culminating with his emphatic victory in the $2M Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast, where he proved himself as a top-tier two-year-old sprinter. He was only plain in the Group 2 Skyline, finishing five and a half lengths off O’president, before bouncing back on Saturday to win the Pago Pago by a 10th of a length, booking the last ticket to this week’s race. He is one of only a few gallopers in the race to prove themselves at 1200m, but he has drawn wide out in 15, and his two starts on wet tracks have not been winning ones. We can’t have him, but he will no doubt be one of the fittest in the race.
2 – Profiteer (5)
Trainer: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr | Jockey: Hugh Bowman (56.5kg)
Race favourite (with Ladbrokes) Profiteer has done nothing wrong in three starts to date, with two wins and a narrow second in the Todman last start. The son of Capitalist bolted in to win the Inglis Millennium in February by five lengths, and then was collared very late last time out in first 1200m test by Anamoe. That run came after a four week break, so fitness, or a lack thereof, no doubt played a part late. He has drawn perfectly in barrier five, as he will kick through and lead the field of 16 under very little riding. He has handled wet tracks in the past, and we are confident that he can go one better in his second 1200m start. This has been the target race all along, and we aren’t prepared to lose on him. It is worth noting that because of the postponement of this race, he has had only one run in seven weeks in the lead up, so fitness could be a slight query.
3 – Artorius (13)
Trainer: Anthony & Sam Freedman | Jockey: Luke Currie (56.5kg)
Artorius, the Blue Diamond Stakes winner, only had his late nomination paid up in the last couple of days, and it no doubt had a fair bit to do with how well the form out of that race stood up over the last three weeks; with Anamoe and Arcaded both winning their subsequent starts. The Flying Artie colt had a terrific hit out at Randwick last Thursday in an eye-catching trial over 1050m, which no doubt would have brought him right on for this. He has drawn a touch awkwardly in gate 13, but he will likely get back anyway and be rocketing late. Looking for his third straight win now, he must be respected.
4 – Ingratiating (11)
Trainer: James Cummings | Jockey: Damien Oliver (56.5kg)
Ingratiating has continuously flown a touch under the radar, but he continues to step up to the plate and run consistently. Having had six starts, the son of Frosted has won two, and placed in a further three, defeating General Beau on debut and the Listed Talindert Stakes down the Flemington straight a week before the Blue Diamond, where he finished second. He was a beaten favourite a fortnight ago in the Pago Pago, but he didn’t need to win that race to secure a start in this, but nonetheless, it was a good run when fifth. Drawn to get the favours under Damien Oliver from barrier 11, Ingratiating is a horse that will be making his presence known late in the piece.
5 – Anamoe (16)
Trainer: James Cummings | Jockey: Rachel King (56.5kg)
Anamoe had been crying out for a strongly run 1200m race in his first few starts, and he got that in the Blue Diamond Stakes when he rattled home from near last on the turn to run third, beaten two and a half lengths. He then franked that form when in Sydney, winning the Todman Stakes and booking his place in this field in good fashion, sprouting wings late to nab Profiteer on the post. Rachel King retains the ride and will have her work cut out from the carpark draw. Barrier 16 may not be the worst gate for the Street Boss colt, who will get back in the run regardless, but he will have to be on his A-Game. Include him in your multiples.
6 – Home Affairs (2)
Trainer: Chris Waller | Jockey: James McDonald (56.5kg)
Coolmore Stud-owned I Am Invincible colt Home Affairs is yet to miss the placings in three starts, winning just the one race when a narrow victor in the Silver Slipper. The form out of that race has not really stood up however, with runner-up Rocket Tiger failing to win as favourite in the Black Opal at his next start, and in turn being a $61 chance in this. Home Affairs has drawn to do no work, and gets arguably the best jockey in Australia on board in James McDonald, but he is horrifically under the odds in our book.
7 – Kalashnikov (1)
Trainer: Peter & Paul Snowden | Jockey: Mark Zahra (56.5kg)
This Snowden-trained colt was the early favourite for this race when markets went up in around October due to his five length trial victory in September. He was then sent around as favourite in the Breeder’s Plate, but only battled away when fifth, and was then plain in his next two starts, despite winning two trials in between. It took a trip to Gosford for a weak maiden race for the Capitalist colt to breakthrough for his first victory, before he went on with the job by winning the Group 3 Black Opal at Canberra. That form just isn’t good enough. You’d be sick if you took $10 about him before his debut.
8 – Stay Inside (3)
Trainer: Richard & Michael Freedman | Jockey: Tommy Berry (56.5kg)
Extreme Choice colt Stay Inside will be looking to bounce back after having no luck at all in the Todman Stakes. Trained by the Freedman brothers, Stay Inside won his first two starts by a combined seven lengths, before being ridden cold over 1200m last start. He hit the line very well on that occasion, and has drawn favourably in barrier three to do very little work under Tommy Berry who picks up the ride. His second start came on a Soft 7, so he will handle the conditions. He is right at the top of the market and certainly deserves his chance.
9 – Rocket Tiger (14)
Trainer: Scott Spackman | Jockey: Kathy O’Hara (56.5kg)
This Cluster gelding won his first two starts at Canberra and Randwick respectively, but it is fair to say he beat nothing good there. He then came out and ran a close second to Home Affairs, before being beaten one and a half lengths by Kalashnikov in the Black Opal. He will go forward under Kathy O’Hara and give his small group of owners a sight, but he just isn’t good enough to win this.
10 – O’president – SCRATCHED
11 – Captivant (9)
Trainer: Peter & Paul Snowden | Jockey: Tom Marquand (56.5kg)
Captivant was an impressive winner on debut in the Victory Vein Stakes, winning by nearly two lengths, before being beaten a similar margin in the Golden Gift when fourth behind Sneaky Five. He was put away for three months and returned with two very good trial wins and then boxed on gamely when third behind O’President three weeks ago. He can be in the first half of the field form barrier nine under ‘Aussie Tom’ and could add some value to wider exotics. Hard to see him winning though.
12 – Glistening (7)
Trainer: Richard & Michael Freedman | Jockey: Jean Van Overmeire (54.5kg)
The first of the five fillies in this race is the Freedman’s Glistening. The daughter of Zoustar won her maiden last start in the Group 2 Riesling Stakes, leading all of the way to fend off a fast finishing Swift Witness. She was safely held behind Pretty Woman at Canberra in her only other start, and her times don’t compare well to the boys. Hard to see her being able to try to lead and hang on in this.
13 – Four Moves Ahead (10)
Trainer: John Sargent | Jockey: Nash Rawiller (54.5kg)
Snitzel filly Four Moves Ahead is the only undefeated galloper in the race and the only filly who is right in the market at $4.80. After bolting in on a Heavy 8 on debut albeit in a weak race on the Randwick-Kensington track, she backed that up with a half a length win in the Sweet Embrace, beating She’s All Class and Mallory. She has been ridden with cover in both starts to date, so Nash Rawiller will ride her similarly again in her grand final. She has handled all conditions and looks ready to go to the next level.
14 – Swift Witness (12)
Trainer: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Jockey: Tim Clark (54.5kg)
The Waterhouse & Bott stable will look to replicate last year’s feat by winning with filly Swift Witness from the same gate that Farnan won in last year. The Star Witness filly has won just the one start when a three length victor in the Aquis Pearl on the Gold Coast, which saw her start favourite in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, but she disappointed hugely. She motored home behind Glistening last start and should handle the wet track, but her form isn’t good enough.
15 – Mallory (6)
Trainer: Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | Jockey: Jason Collett (54.5kg)
Mallory has had a month between runs after bypassing the Magic Night to be kept fresh for this, which is how the Ryan & Alexiou stable like to run their horses, and it could prove to be a good move. The Not A Single Doubt filly was three lengths off Enthaar on debut, and the won the Group 3 Widden Stakes at this track on a Soft 7 before running third to Four Moves Ahead at her latest outing when she really knuckled down late. She has drawn to get the near-perfect run in the race from barrier six and could be able to replicate fellow Arrowfield filly, Miss Finland, 15 years later. She is right in this.
16 – Queen Of Wizardry (4)
Trainer: Annabel Neasham | Jockey: John Allen (54.5kg)
Rounding out the field is outsider Queen Of Wizardry. The Aquis Farm-owned filly was a massive winner on debut at Eagle Farm, and then had no luck at all in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic when fourth. She has had two months between runs, with just the one quiet trial since, so we have to question her fitness. She will get better as she gets out over further, but could be more of a winning chance in the likes of a JJ Atkins in June.
Best bets for 2021 Golden Slipper
It is hard to look much further than the top of the market with Profiteer and Stay Inside deserving favourites. Both runners have been set for this, and have had near-perfect preparations. In saying that, Mallory will be ready to fire off a freshen up and should be able to get a good run and will handle the conditions, while Four Moves Ahead looks to have untapped potential.
| $100 betting strategy | |
|---|---|
| $35 each way | Mallory |
| $30 win | Profiteer |
| Selections | 15-8-2-13 |
2021 Golden Slipper Betting
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