Houtzen (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) and She Will Reign (Aus) (Manhattan Rain {Aus}), the top two betting choices for Saturday's A$3.5-million G1 Longines Golden Slipper, did not fare wonderfully in the draw for the world's richest juvenile race on Tuesday, landing in barriers 16 and 13, respectively.
The trainers of both fillies were looking on the bright side, however, as rain continued to fall at Rosehill during the draw.
“I was a bit deflated to start with but you look at the weather outside right now, it might be the best barrier,” Toby Edmonds, who trains the unbeaten Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Houtzen, told Racing.com. “If you draw close and you get that pressure from the outside we could end up in an awkward spot in behind horses and copping a lot of the backwash, so the draw might not be that bad.”
Trainer Gary Portelli said the wide draw could be an advantage for She Will Reign, who comes into the Slipper off her first defeat when second in the G2 Reisling S. on Mar. 4.
“I was actually hoping she would draw out a little bit even though we don't know how the track's going to play,” he told Racing.com. “With her being that little bit slow for the first stride or two means she can just go through her gears rather than having to kick up and have to hold horses out.”
The father/son training team of Peter and Paul Snowden won last year's Slipper with 'TDN Rising Star' Capitalist (Aus) (Written Tycoon {Aus}), and they will look to make it a double on Saturday with another 'TDN Rising Star' in Pariah (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}). That G3 Canonbury S. winner, who was last seen finishing second in the G1 Blue Diamond S. at Caulfield on Feb. 25, drew low in barrier four.
Pariah's Blue Diamond conqueror Catchy (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) will be one of four sent out by Lindsay Park trainers David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig, and she landed in barrier eight. Her stablemate and Blue Diamond third Formality (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) will exit gate two, while Tulip (Aus) (Pierro {Aus}), who backs up from a win in last weekend G3 Magic Night S., drew barrier 10 with Madeenaty (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) one to her inside in nine.
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