Facts and figures on the Golden Slipper
ear-old race at Rosehill
HISTORY
* Todman won the inaugural Slipper in 1957 by eight lengths and started at 1-6
* Magic Night (1961) the first filly to win
* Won by 27 colts, seven geldings and 25 fillies
* Eighteen favourites have won, the latest Vancouver (2015)
* TJ Smith is the only person to have bred, owned and trained a Golden Slipper winner – Bounding Away in 1986
* Smith also shares the Slipper training record of six wins – Fairy Walk (1971), John’s Hope (1972), Hartshill (1974), Toy Show (1975), Bounding Away (1986) and Star Watch in 1988
* Smith’s daughter Gai Waterhouse has also trained six, while Bart Cummings, Lee Freedman and Clarry Conners have won it four times
* Waterhouse trained the trifecta in 2001 when her first winner Ha Ha beat Excellerator and Red Hannigan
* Waterhouse’s other Slipper winners are: Dance Hero (2004), Sebring (2008), Pierro (2012), Overreach (2013) and Vancouver (2015). She will start Kiss and Make Up and Scarlet Rain on Saturday.
TALKING POINTS
* Barrier one is the most successful producing nine winners.
* Barrier 13 is the most unlucky – no winners
* Winning barriers and the last winner to jump from them are: Barrier 1 – nine winners (Overreach 2013); 2 – two (Dance Hero 2004); 3 – six (Catbird 1999); 4 – five (Century Miss 1979); 5 – four (Sebring 2008); 6 – three (Stratum 2005); 7 – two (Miss Finland 2006); 8 – six (Sepoy 2011); 9 – three (Sweet Embrace 1967); 10 – five (Danzero 1994); 11 – four (Mossfun); 12 – two (Inspired 1984); 13 – nil (-); 14 – four (Polar Success 2003); 15 – one (Star Watch 1988); 16 – two (Vancouver 2015).
* Only two horses have broken their maiden with a Slipper win – Sweet Embrace (1967) and Fairy Walk (1971). Moqueen is the maiden going into this year’s race, but as an emergency.
WHAT CONNECTIONS ARE SAYING
* “Barrier 17 is no help, but he has plenty of tactical speed and there have been plenty of winners from wide gates” – Godolphin trainer John O’Shea said on Astern.
* “You’ve got to be very respectful to the Melbourne horses, but they’ve peaked, and they have to peak again. I haven’t peaked yet” – Gai Waterhouse on trainer Mick Price’s horses Extreme Choice and Flying Artie.
* “If they have a nice run you’ll see them blast away and they’ll be very hard to beat” – Mick Price on his two chances.