Saturday’s six race simulcast program from Rosehill Gardens in Sydney, will feature the appearance of the world’s highest rated turf performer Winx who chases her 16th consecutive win and the world’s richest two-year-old race, the G1 Golden Slipper (1200m).
The latest International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) rankings, to 5 March this year, have the mare rated equal world’s best with Arrogate but clear in the turf category; four points above Hartnell who is expected to contest Saturday’s G1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m).
In fact, five of the top 12 world’s turf horses may well compete at Rosehill with Chautauqua and Le Romain expected to take on Winx in the G1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) and Black Heart Bart considered a possibility to do likewise.
The Golden Slipper field was finalised this morning and the barrier draw conducted while final fields for the remaining races will be released Wednesday morning.
Winx, the Chris Waller-trained mare, would notch up her 11th G1 win were she to win the Ryder Stakes. She won the weight-for-age race last year after winning the G2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) and G1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) - as she has done in 2017.
The addition of the sprinter Chautauqua and the sprinter-miler Le Romain to the Ryder line-up certainly adds a level of intrigue, if not strength of competition, to Saturday’s race as the champion mare has largely been opposed by middle distance and staying horses in her past two wins.
Former Hong Kong trainer David Hayes will take a strong, four pronged hand into the Golden Slipper Stakes as he bids to win the race for the second time. His previous win was with Miss Finland in 2006.
Miss Finland was ridden by Craig Williams who, this year, partners the Hayes’ stable top elect Catchy who is unbeaten in four starts and comes off a powerful win in the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) on 25 February.
Only three horses have won the Blue Diamond - Golden Slipper double in the past 30 years but another five Slipper winners, in that time, have contested the Caulfield race - which is run left handed - en route to the Rosehill feature run right handed.
Hayes is also represented by Formality, who was third behind Catchy in the Blue Diamond, along with last Saturday’s Rosehill winner Tulip (who’d run fourth in the Diamond) and last start Flemington place-getter Madeenaty.
His runners fared well at the barrier draw with none drawing wider than ten. In contrast, the Hong Kong bound Michael Freedman’s two runners Frolic and Teaspoon drew 17 and 14 respectively. Zac Purton flies in to ride the latter.
The fillies Houtzen and She Will Reign head the market on the race despite drawing out. The Gary Portelli trained She Will Reign has gate 13 while Houtzen, trained by Toby Edmonds, in Queensland came up with 16. Houtzen and Catchy are the two unbeaten juveniles in the race.
Houtzen overcame barrier 16 to win the Magic Millions (1200m) in January and her trainer was philosophical about the barrier outcome. “It’s nothing new,” Edmonds said, “She knows where she goes and she just heads to the outside barrier and it’s up to Jeff (Lloyd) now.” Houtzen jumps from 14 if the emergencies do not get a run.
Pariah, The Blue Diamond Stakes runner-up, fared best of the more fancied runners drawing barrier four and looks a legitimate chance of providing trainer Peter Snowden, who now trains in partnership with his son Paul, a third win in the race.
