Friday, 26th April 2024
All enquiries - Gary Knowles 0406 599 773
Golden Slipper Take Two: After the frustration of an additional week's wait, the mammoth meeting at Rosehill Gardens has arrived. This time around, it's also likely to be with a canopy of bright sunshine and a track infinitely more conducive to not just a more enjoyable spectacle, but also to results that won't be sullied by a track that would have been a bog at best and a danger to steed and rider at worst. Although the Golden Slipper field – one of five Group 1s on the card – was frozen when last weekend's occassion was postponed, the opportunity for non-runners from a week ago to throw their hat in the ring this week has not been met with glee by all and sundry, however there's no doubting the uplift of the overall race quality on what already looked like a sparkling program. For all the razzamatazz associated with the supporting Group 1s, loaded as they are with awesome competitors, Golden Slipper Day is all about a race where the purse is worth a $3.5 million fortune, but the winner – if it's a colt – will emerge with a value that's more like $35 million once subsequent stud deals are inked. Amongst all the celebration after the big juvenile scamper, it'd be easy to miss the $100,000 Melvista Stakes (2000m) on the other side of the country some forty-three minutes later. It marks another 200m increase in journey for the Bob and Sandra Peters-owned Western Empire, a 3YO Iffraaj gelding who'll start at Winx-like odds. While there's much water to go under the bridge, there's a growing belief the rising Perth star could play a significant role in Melbourne's coming Spring Carnival and beyond. Whilst every effort is made to ensure information and the below race times (in Australian Eastern Summer Time order) are accurate, please consult official race cards if certainty is required.
