Trainer Gary Portelli's pre-race concerns that She Will Reign (Aus) (Manhattan Rain {Aus}) may not handle the rain-soaked track at Randwick proved foundless as the juvenile filly shot to the head of the betting for the G1 Golden Slipper S. after her second facile win in eight days.
The $20,000 Inglis Classic yearling ran out an eight-length victor on her debut, coming close to breaking the 1000-metre track record at Kembla Grange on Dec. 10. Backed up a week later for the A$500,000 Inglis Nursery at Randwick, She Will reign missed the break but was quickly into stride, bursting clear of her rivals with 300 metres left to run and eventually eased down within sight of the winning post to cross the line four lengths to the good.
“I knew I'd win going around to the barriers. I trialled her at Rosehill and put my name on her straight away,” said her delighted jockey Ben Melham.
Despite the filly's favouritism for the Slipper, Portelli is still mulling over later-season targets for She Will Reign.
“I'll speak to the owners. I would have liked to go for the Blue Diamond, take the softer option, but we'll wait and see,” he said. “That acceleration she showed when Ben asked her. She lengthened stride and put it beyond doubt straight away.”
The owners of She Will Reign, Darby Racing, came agonisingly close to a fairytale ending in the 2016 A$3.5 million Longines Golden Slipper S. when Yankee Rose (Aus) (All American {Aus}) came within half a length of Capitalist (Aus) (Written Tycoon {Aus}) to take second, having been bought as a yearling for A$10,000. She went on to win the G1 Inglis Sires' Produce S. and G1 Moet & Chandon Spring Champion S. and has netted more than A$2 million in prize-money. The 2017 Golden Slipper takes place on Mar. 18 at Rosehill.
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