Unbeaten in her last five starts, which includes victory in the lucrative Magic Millions 2YO Classic as well as the G2 Silver Slipper and the G2 Reisling S., Tony McEvoy's star filly Sunlight (Aus) (Zoustar {Aus}) has the runs on the board to start favourite in Saturday's A$3.5-million G1 Golden Slipper (1200m) and give the fillies back-to-back wins after She Will Reign (Aus) (Manhattan Rain {Aus}) achieved victory last year.
McEvoy also sends out Oohood (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}), and the trainer who has been involved with many Slipper winners through various industry roles told Racenet.com.au, “This race is what the Australian racing industry is all about. It's without a doubt the most important race in the country for our industry. Sunlight is certainly up there with the good 2-year-olds I've been involved with. When you get a filly as good and as big and strong as the Miss Finlands or Sunlights, that two kilo allowance is gold because they are as strong as the colts, they have as good a bone as the colts, they eat like a colt and go as fast as them.”
Drawing perfectly in barrier five, jockey Luke Currie has the option of going forward with the filly who races handy, and with some speed on her inside, including the hardest to beat in Written By (Aus) (Written Tycoon {Aus}), it should be a great race if the pair can come away to fight out the finish.
One of only two unbeaten runners in the race, G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Written By has already assured his place at stud, as a Group 1-winning son of one of the hottest stallions in the land, but a win in the Golden Slipper will emulate Sepoy (Aus) (Elusive Quality) as the most recent winner of the juvenile Group 1 double. While he was not as dominant in his G2 Pago Pago win last weekend as he was in the Blue Diamond, trainer Grahame Begg has indicated that the colt was only given one hard gallop in between those two races, and will come into the Slipper ready to run the race of his life.
Somewhat of a surprise packet, unbeaten colt Aylmerton (Aus) (Siyouni {Fr}) was the subject of an ownership change during the week, and the Jean Dubois-trained colt is set to race in the Coolmore silks on Saturday. His last-start win over Ef Troop (Aus) (Spirit of Boom {Aus}), who had previously finished fourth to Sunlight in the Magic Millions, in the G2 Todman S. had many standing up and taking notice of the colt.
Tommy Berry, veteran of two Slipper wins, jets in from Hong Kong to ride Aylmerton and he told Racenet.com.au, “The thing that stands out to me the most about this colt is he's strong to the line, very gutsy. When Ef Troop came back at him the other day he really stuck his head out and to me he looks like he'll run further than 1200m; that's a given I reckon. He's got a lovely action, looks to travel really well, [and has] got a real nice style about him.”
With the expected wet track conditions for the meeting, the Chris Waller-trained Fiesta (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) has been the subject of some large pre-race bets due to her wet form. She was a half-length second behind another leading chance in Seabrook (NZ) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) last start in the G2 Sweet Embrace S., and a win would give Star Thoroughbreds their second after Sebring (Aus) (More Than Ready) back in 2008.
Having finished closer to Sunlight than any other horse during her winning streak, the Hawkes Racing-trained $1.7-million yearling and 'TDN Rising Star' Estijaab (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus})-who is the most expensive runner in the race–loves to race forward, and if barrier 17 causes no issues for the filly, she could sit up handy and show plenty of fight when needed.
Gai Waterhouse is looking for her seventh win in the race, while co-trainer Adrian Bott is chasing his first, and they send out Santos (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}), impressive in the G2 Skyline S. last time out, and the well-related colt will assure himself a home at stud if successful in the race.
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