The Group 2 Silver Slipper is shaping up as an intriguing contest as the colts and fillies clash after coming through The Widden Stakes, the Canonbury and the Inglis Millennium.

The Richard and Michael Freedman-trained Queen Of The Ball comes through an eye-catching victory in the Widden Stakes while Kacy Fogden’s colt Best Of Bordeaux steps out after winning the Canonbury by 4.8 lengths on debut albeit in a slower time than the fillies.

Group 2 Silver Slipper, $250,000, 1100 metres

 

No1 – Shalatin (Colt) (Shalaa x Arcadia Delight)
Trainer: Gary Portelli  

Bred and retained by his owners, Shalatin is the third foal out of Bob Peters’ winning Domesday mare Arcadia Delight, who is a half-sister to mare Arcadia Queen and full sister to Group 2 WA Derby winner Arcadia Dream.

Arcadia Delight’s grandam is G1 VRC Oaks third placegetter Antique, herself the dam of dual Group 1 winner and the All-Star Mile hero Regal Power.

Young Arrowfield Stud stallion Shalaa, a son of Invincible Spirit, currently sits seven wins (28) behind Capitalist (35) on the second-season sire standings by winners from 48 less runners.

Two runners have been bred on a Shalaa/Domesday cross with Shalatin the most successful. No horses have been bred on an Invincible Spirit/Domesday cross.

No2 – Best Of Bordeaux (Colt) (Snitzel x Chateau Cheval)
Trainer: Kacy Fogden

Bred by Gerry Harvey and sold to Kacy Fogden Racing for $425,000 at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Best Of Bordeaux, who is owned by Fung Family Racing and Harvey, is the second foal out of the three-time winning High Chaparral mare Chateau Cheval, who is a half-sister to Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes winner turned Viner Stud stallion Casino Prince, Group Tramway H. winner Tagus, Listed winners Lord Of The Land and Metallurgical and the Listed-placed Reflectance.

The Group 1 JJ Atkins Plate-winning, Group 1 Rosehill Guineas runner-up Prince Fawaz features in this family as does Group 1 Champagne Stakes winner Onemorenomore.

Four winners from seven runners have been bred on a Snitzel/High Chapparal cross. This cross has 14 per cent stakes winners to runners. 

No 3 – Athletica (Colt) (Exceed And Excel x Queen Of Eight)
Trainer: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott

Racing in the colours of Francis and Christine Cook, Athletica was purchased by Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott and Bruce Slade’s Kestrel Thoroughbreds for $370,000 at the 2021 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

He is out of the five-time winning Haradasun mare Queen Of Eight, herself a half-sister to Group 1 Caulfield Guineas runner-up Lizard Island and the stakes-placed Marsannay and Fairy Star.

Athletica’s grandam Bourgogne is a half-sister to the Group 1 VRC Oaks-winning Bulla Borghese, herself the dam of Group 2 Furious Stakes winner Bound For Earth.

Group 2 Magic Night Stakes winner Calliope, herself the dam of Group 2 Danehill Stakes winner Kallos and Group 3 Canonbury Stakes hero Zethus feature in this family.

Athletica is the only named horse to date that has been bred on an Exceed And Excel/Haradasun cross.

No4 – Emperor (Colt) (I Am Invincible x Jolie Bay)
Trainer: Matthew Dunn

Purchased for $460,000 at the 2021 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale by Matthew Dunn and bloodstock agent Neil Jenkinson from the draft of Segenhoe Stud, Emperor is out of the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes-winning, Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes runner-up Jolie Bay (Fastnet Rock mare), herself a sister to Merchant Navy and the stakes-performed Setanta and Zara Bay.

Jolie Bay is also a proven producer, with her first foal, God Of Thunder, running second in the Group 2 Caulfield Sprint.

Listed Merson Cooper Stakes winner Ebhaar, who was rolled as a short-priced fancy last Saturday at Rosehill also feature in this family as does Group 2-winning Godolphin colt Paulele and Group 1 Myer Classic winner Bonaria.

The I Am Invincible/Fastnet Rock cross is the second most popular ‘Vinnie’ cross after the I Am Invincible/Redoute’s Choice. With 46 named horses bred on it.

It has also proved quite successful, producing 22 winners from 30 runners at a slightly improved stakes winners to runners ratio (six per cent).

No5 – Zambezi River (Colt) (I Am Invincible x Zamzam)
Trainer: Chris Waller

Purchased by James Harron Bloodstock and Tom Magnier (Coolmore Australia) for $1.15 million at the 2021 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale from the draft of Yarraman Park, Zambezi River is the second foal out of the Listed-winning, Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes-placed Redoute’s Choice mare Zamzam.

Zamzam is out of the Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes runner up Fleur De’here. Her Group 2-winning grandam Fleur De Chine is responsible for Group 1 Australasian Oaks winner Tully Thunder, herself the grandam of Levendi, Wu Gok and Marcel From Madrid.

The I Am Invincible/Redoute’s Choice cross has proved a success thus far, boasting 39 winners from 51 runners to date. The only knock is that its stakes winners to runners sits at a mere three per cent.

No6 – Spacewalk (Colt) (Exosphere x Benenden)
Trainer: James Cummings

A Godolphin-homebred, Spacewalk is the fourth foal out of the five-time winning Dubawi mare Benenden, herself a half-sister to the stakes-placed dam of dual Listed winner Plague Stone.

Group 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner High Hawk features alongside Chris Waller’s Group 3-winning, Group 1 Epsom Handicap runner-up Aramayo.

Three runners have been bred on an Exosphere/Dubawi cross with Spacewalk the best performed.

No7 – Nolan (Colt) (Caravaggio x Don’t Blink)
Trainer: John O’Shea

Bred and retained by Finemore Thoroughbreds and Planette Thoroughbred Trading, Nolan is out of the winning Redoute’s Choice mare Don’t Blink, thus making him a half-brother to Group 2 Furious Stakes runner up Robodira and the Listed-placed Legion Fighter.

Don’t Blink herself is a half-siter to the Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate-winning, Group 2 Silver Slipper-placed Husson Lightning.

Six named horses have been bred on a Caravaggio/Redoute’s Choice cross, with Nolan the only one to hit the racetrack thus far.

No8 – Boyfriend (Colt) (Snitzel x Exclusive Lass)
Trainer: Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou

A $750,000 2021 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale purchase by Tony Fung Investments, Boyfriend is the second foal out of the Listed-winning, Group 3-placed Nicconi mare Exclusive Lass, thus making him a half-brother to Cape Breton.

Exclusive Lass’s grandam is the Group 2 Villiers Stakes-winning, Group 1 New Zealand Oaks fourth placegetter Arletty, who herself is the grandam of Tom Dabernig’s Group 3 Tesio Stakes heroine Flying Mascot.

Dual New Zealand Group 1 winner turned Newhaven Park stallion Xtravagant features in this family alongside his three-time Group 1-placed brother He’s Remarkable. Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes winner Tiptronic is also in this family.

Three runners have been bred on a Snitzel/Nicconi cross, with Boyfriend the most notable.

No9 – Magic (Colt) (Snitzel x Rising Romance)
Trainer: Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes

Bred by Arrowfield Stud and purchased by Hawkes Racing for $2.5 million at the 2021 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, Magic is the second foal out of the Group 1 Australian Oaks-winning, seven-time Group 1-placed Rising Romance, thus making him a brother to Group 1 Thousand Guineas heroine Yearning.

Rising Romance herself doesn’t boast the strongest of pedigrees, with her Listed-placed second and third dams the only notable members of her family in the first three generations.

However, the Group 3-winning, Group 1-placed Jungle Edge and the dual Group 1-winning Rebel Raider are descendants of Rising Romance’s fourth dam A Little Love.

Magic will be the fourth raced horse from as many named to be bred on a Snitzel/Ekraar cross when he steps out in the Silver Slipper.

While there has been two winners bred on this cross his sister Yearning is the most notable, accounting for $741,600 of its $841,250 in earnings.

No11 – Ojai (Filly) (Exceed And Excel x Matilija)
Trainer: James Cummings 

A Godolphin homebred, Ojai is the second foal out of the dual Group 3-placed Medaglia D’oro mare Matilija, herself a daughter of the Group 2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic winner Romenya.

Matilija’s grandam is the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude-winning, Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes and Group 1 Newmarket Handicap-placed Danehill mare Mannington, who herself is responsible for Group 1 Victoria Derby winner Benicio and the Group 3 winner Roheryn.

Group 1 Golden Slipper winner Bint Marscay is Matilija’s third dam. Magic Million 3YO Guineas hero Aim also features in this family.

The Exceed And Excel/Medaglia D’Oro cross has produced 17 runners for 11 winners at 11 per cent stakes winners to runners.

No13 – Queen Of The Ball (Filly) (I Am Invincible x Miss Debutante)
Trainer: Richard and Michael Freedman 

Bred by Go Bloodstock, Queen Of The Ball is the first foal of the Listed-winning Fastnet Rock mare Miss Debutante, herself a daughter of Group 2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf S. winner More Than Real.

Miss Debutante’s grandam is five-time American Listed winner Miss Seffens, who also the grandam of Group 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf S. winner Structor and the American Group 2-placed Always Carina.

The I Am Invincible/Fastnet Rock is the second most common ‘Vinnie’ cross behind the I Am Invincible/Redoute’s Choice, with 46 named horses bred on it.

A total of 23 winners from 30 runners to date have been bred on a I Am Invincible/Fastnet Rock cross. The cross goes at six per cent stakes winners to runners.

No14 – Ebhaar (Filly) (I Am Invincible x Maroon Bay) –
Trainer: Peter and Paul Snowden

An Emirates Park-homebred Ebhaar is out of the well-related Exceed And Excel mare Maroon Bay, thus making her a half-sister to the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (Colts and Geldings) runner-up Shotmaker.

Maroon Bay herself is out of the Group 3 Sweet Embrace Stakes-winning Legally Bay, making her a half-sister to the dual Hemisphere Group 1 winner turned Coolmore Stud stallion Merchant Navy and Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes heroine Jolie Bay.

Group 1 Myer Classic winner Bonaria, Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes hero Paulele and Group 3-winning gallopers Heresy and Tessera feature in this pedigree.

Ebhaar is bred on the potent I Am Invincible/Exceed And Excel cross which boasts 14 winners from 17 runners. It also goes at 11 per cent runners to stakes winners.

No15 – Cythera (Filly) (I Am Invincible x Helena’s Secret)
Trainer: Peter and Paul Snowden

Bred by Highgrove Stud and purchased for $420,000 at the 2021 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale by IRON and George Moore Bloodstock, Cythera is out of dual Canadian winning, American-bred, Five Star Day mare Helana’s Secret, making her a half-sister to Group 2 Australia Stakes-winning, Group 1 William Reid Stakes runner-up Thronum.

Cythera is the only named horse bred on an I Am Invincible/Five Star Day cross and her narrow debut victory over Lady Laguna in the Listed Darley Lohnro Plate on debut marked I Am Invincible’s 37^th juvenile stakes winner.

Best On Breeding:

First: Magic $34
Second: Ebhaar $9.50
Third: Zambezi River $61
Fourth: Emperor: $81