Michael Freedman filly Marhoona creates history in Golden Slipper at Rosehill

Trainer Michael Freedman claimed a second Golden Slipper to make up for the one “that got away” last year with a home-bred filly having only her third start.

Damian Lane riding Marhoona (centre) claims the Golden Slipper from Wodeton (right) and Tempted at Rosehill. Picture: Getty Images

Marhoona raced into Golden Slipper history and gave the Freedman family another win in the world’s richest two-year-old at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Trainer Michael Freedman won his second $5m TAB Golden Slipper (1200m) as Marhoona held off Wodeton and Tempted in another Group 1 thriller.

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Freedman said Marhoona erased the disappointment of 12 months ago when Manaal finished a luckless fifth in the big race.

“Manaal drew wide and had a horror run before finishing fifth,’’ Freedman said.

“I went home that night feeling it was the Golden Slipper that maybe got away.

“So, to come back here and win it for the same owners, Emirates, with a home-bred filly is a great thrill. These races aren’t easy to win.’’

Marhoona ($8) enjoyed the run of the race under jockey Damian Lane before surging to the front inside the final 200m and holding of the fast-finishing Wodeton ($7) to win by a head with the unlucky Tempted ($4.80 favourite) a half-length away third.

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The Golden Slipper, Sydney’s signature race, never fails to disappointing and the 69th running of the famous two-year-old race was one to remember.

The highlights - and lowlights – included:

• Freedman won his second Golden Slipper after preparing Stay Inside to win in 2021 when in a training partnership with his brother Richard.

• Older brother, Lee Freedman, won four Golden Slippers with Bint Marscay (1993), Danzero (1994) Flying Spur (1995) and Merlene (1996).

• Marhoona was having only her third start and equal the record set 50 years ago by Toy Show as the most inexperienced Slipper winner.

• Lane won his second Slipper after his success on Kiamichi in 2019.

• Chris Waller trained three successive Group 1 second placegetters by the barest of margins - short half head (Aeliana, Rosehill Guineas), nose (Fangirl, George Ryder Stakes), head (Wodeton, Golden Slipper).

• Within The Law crashed through the running rail near the 800m but the filly and jockey Jason Collett escaped injury.

What a win by Marhoona in the G1 TAB Golden Slipper, proving dreams can come true!

She wins for @MFreedmanRacing and @LaneDamian! 👏@EmiratesPark | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/EAq92UCjBf

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 22, 2025

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Freedman admitted he was concerned Marhoona’s lack of race experience could prove her undoing in a high pressure Golden Slipper.

“If I’m being honest, I said to a few people, earlier today, I thought maybe it would have been nice to have had one more run under our belt,’’ Freedman said.

“When she won at Canterbury at first start (February 7), she ripped half a foot off winning that race, and I thought you’re tough.

“She bounced back from it, went to the Reisling a month later, and it’s a bit of an unusual preparation, I guess, going into a Slipper at your third start. But, yeah, she’s a special filly.”

Freedman doesn’t have the huge numbers in work of some of Sydney’s bigger stables so to win two Golden Slippers in five years is an outstanding achievement.

“We are a small stable and taking on these big numbers in such a competitive environment as Sydney racing, you just have to do the best you can,’’ he said.

“You know, we’ve been through the ups and downs with the family over a lot of years with these sort of good results, bad results, but this is a huge thrill for my team.

“For Sophie (Johnson, and Ben Duckworth, who’s sort of been in the team for about a year now, I’m as happy for them as I am anything else because they just put so much work in.

“I just try and stay out of their way a little bit, I think. I think my personal view is good two-year-olds almost train themselves a little bit. You’ve just got to stay out of the way.”

Jockey Damian Lane won his second Golden Slipper. Picture: Getty Images

Freedman also singled out Lane for particular praise after his brilliant winning ride.

“Damian gave the filly an amazing ride,’’ he said. “

“We had a chat this morning about where we thought she might end up in the run.

“When I saw him peel off heels at the top of the straight I though we are a chance here.

“He’s a champion rider, we were lucky to get a jockey of his caliber at such a late stage.’’

Lane said Marhoona jumped well, settled into a forward position and enjoyed a good through the race.

“She was great,’’ Lane said. “She’s obviously been prepped perfectly for this, just peaking on the day. Not often you come up with a plan and execute it perfectly in Group 1 races.

“It really played out how we thought it might and she was great. She just was there to be beaten at the 100m and Wodeton got to us, she really stuck at it, so very brave.”

Originally published as Michael Freedman filly Marhoona creates history in Golden Slipper at Rosehill