Inside Mail: Close up look at the Golden Slipper

EVERY crucial fact and detail you need to find the winner in tomorrow’s $3.5 million Golden Slipper at Rosehill.

Peter Snowden-trained Ghibellines takes out the Todman Stakes. Picture: Simon Bullard

$3.5m GOLDEN SLIPPER (1200m)

Rosehill, Saturday 5pm

1 11152 UNENCUMBERED Bjorn Baker Craig Williams 14 56.5kg

2 2x227 JABALI Mick Price Glen Boss 1 56.5kg

3 4x351 GHIBELLINES Peter Snowden Hugh Bowman 2 56.5kg

4 311 VALENTIA Gai Waterhouse Tommy Berry 4 56.5kg

5 x2533 CORNROW Mick Price Damien Oliver 8 56.5kg

6 1x14 LAW Gai Waterhouse Tim Clark 7 56.5kg

7 12634 MODOC Paul Perry Blake Shinn 3 56.5kg

8 1x35 RISEN FROM DOUBT Tony McEvoy Nash Rawiller 6 56.5kg

9 1x111 EARTHQUAKE Peter Snowden Kerrin McEvoy 13 54.5kg

10 1x112 MOSSFUN Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes James McDonald 11 54.5kg

11 1142x OAKLEIGH GIRL Danny J Bougoure Craig Newitt 10 54.5kg

12 11241 ELOPING Peter Morgan & Craig Widdison Stephen Baster 15 54.5kg

13 1x413 ALPHA MISS Gary Nickson Jason Collett 9 54.5kg

14 131 BRING ME THE MAID Peter G Moody Chad Schofield 5 54.5kg

15 11x29 MEMORIAL Peter Snowden Christian Reith 17 54.5kg

16 1x1 BELIEVE YOURSELF Gerald Ryan Brenton Avdulla 16 54.5kg

17e 5x716 SCRATCH ME LUCKY Paul Perry Glyn Schofield 12 56.5kg

BARRIERS

THE most favourable barrier in Golden Slipper history is gate one where Jabali is drawn. Since the race was first run in 1957, 10 winners have started from the rails barrier including seven in the last 20 years — Flying Spur (1995), Merlene (1996), Prowl (1998), Forensics (2007), Crystal Lily (2010), Pierro (2012) and Overreach. Favourite Earthquake has drawn 13 gate which has never produced a Slipper winner but if the emergency is scratched, she will start from 12. Outside barriers have produced their fair share of winners in the past two decades with six coming out of 10 or wider including Phelan Ready from 16 in 2009. Guineas (1997), Belle Du Jour (2000) and Ha Ha (2001) all came out of 11.

THE HISTORY

DOUBLE WINNERS

Blue Diamond-Golden Slipper: 5 — John’s Hope (1972), Manikato (1979), Bounding Away (1986), Courtza (1989), Sepoy (2011)

Tomorrow: Earthquake

Silver Slipper-Slipper: Eskimo Prince (1964), Baguette (1970), Luskin Star (1977), Pierro (2012),

Tomorrow: Mossfun

Skyline Stakes-Golden Slipper: 5 — Sir Dapper (1983), Star Watch (1988), Guineas (1997), Prowl (1998), Dance Hero (2004)

Tomorrow: Valentia

Sweet Embrace Stakes-Golden Slipper: 3 — Dark Eclipse (1980), Ha Ha (2001), Crystal Lily (2010)

Tomorrow: Believe Yourself

Todman Stakes-Golden Slipper: 4 — Luskin Star (1977), Marauding (1987), Tierce (1991), Pierro (2012)

Tomorrow: Ghibellines

Riesling Stakes-Golden Slipper: 6 — Hartshill (1974), Burst (1992), Merlene (1996), Burst (2000), Polar Success (2003), Overreach (2013)

Tomorrow: Earthquake

Pago Pago Stakes-Golden Slipper: 4 — Inspired (1984), Rory’s Jester (1985), Stratum (2005)

Tomorrow: Nil

Magic Night Stakes-Golden Slipper: 5 — Toy Show (1975), Century Miss (1979), Dark Eclipse (1980), Bounding Away (1986), Bint Marscay (1993)

Tomorrow: Bring Me The Maid

THE FAVOURITES

Favourites have won 18 of the 59 Slippers including three of the last six runnings with Sebring at $6 in 2008, Sepoy at $2.80 in 2011 and Overreach at $2.80 last year. The inaugural winner, Todman (1957) remains the shortest favourite, scoring an easy win at 1/6f. Sweet Embrace is the biggest long shot winner at 40/1 in 1967 while Phelan Ready was a $26 outsider in 2009.

THE TRAINERS

Peter Snowden, Gai Waterhouse, Paul Perry and John Hawkes are the only trainers represented tomorrow to have won the Golden Slipper previously. Snowden, who has Earthquake, Memorial and Ghibellines in the big race, scored with Sepoy in 2011. Waterhouse is aiming for a record-equalling sixth Golden Slipper with either Valentia or Law after winning with Ha Ha (2001), Dance Hero (2004), Sebring (2008), Pierro (2012) and Overreach. Paul Perry saddles up Modoc and also has first emergency Scratch Me Lucky as he attempts to repeat his 2005 Slipper triumph with Stratum. Hawkes won Golden Slippers with Guineas (1997) and Forensics (2007) when he was training in his own right but these days he operates a training partnership with sons Wayne and Michael and they have top filly Mossfun in the big race. Tommy Smith holds the training record with six wins.

Kerrin McEvoy has already tasted success in the Golden Slipper. Picture: Simon Bullard

THE JOCKEYS

There are six riders in the big race to have won the Golden Slipper previously. Craig Williams (Unencumbered) won on Miss Finland in 2006, Glen Boss (Jabali) is a two-time winner on Flying Spur (1995) and Sebring (2008), Tommy Berry (Valentia) scored on Overreach last year, Damien Oliver (Cornrow) won with Forensics (2007), Nash Rawiller (Risen From Doubt) was successful on Pierro (2012) and Kerrin McEvoy (Earthquake) rode Sepoy (2011) to Slipper success. The race riding record is shared by Kevin Langby, Ron Quinton and Shane Dye with four wins each.

THE DISTANCE

There are six Slipper runners who have won over 1200m previously — Unencumbered, Ghibellines, Valentia, Modoc, Earrthquake and Bring Me The Maid. Unencumbered has won twice from three attempts at the trip while Earthquake is unbeaten in her only two starts at 1200m.

THE SPEED MAP

Golden Slippers are invariably run at a hectic pace and tomorrow’s race should be no different, particularly with so much speed drawn out wide. Oakleigh Girl, Mossfun and Eloping in particular have brilliant gate speed and they should cross from their wide barriers and dispute the early lead. Jabali, Modoc and Alpha Miss will try to take advantage of their favourable draws while favourite Earthquake will probably settle about midfield with cover. With a genuine tempo throughout, it will give backmarkers like Ghibellines, Cornrow and Bring Me The Maid the chance to finish hard.

THE SPECIALIST

Ghibellines, Earthquake and Bring Me The Maid are the only starters to have won previously over the Rosehill 1200m course. Mossfun is a two-time Rosehill winner but over 1100m.

TODMAN STAKES, ROSEHILL, MARCH 22

Ghibellines was slow to begin and settled at the rear of the field but jockey Kerrin McEvoy weaved his way through the field on the turn and this colt dashed through to score a convincing win from Unencumbered who made a strong run out wide to finish a good second. The track wasn’t favouring horses out wide that day adding further merit to Unencumbered’s effort. Cornrow was held up behind runners in the straight but when he finally got clear he hit the line hard for an eye-catching third. Risen From Doubt (fifth) and Jabali (seventh) were disappointing.

Earthquake, ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, thunders home to win the Riesling Stakes. Picture: Simon Bullard

RIESLING STAKES, ROSEHILL, MARCH 22

Earthquake was trapped wide early so jockey Kerrin McEvoy seized the initiative, went forward to lead and the filly did the rest. She looked to be under pressure at the top of the straight but as she has been in each of her four wins to date, she was very strong over the last 200m and forged clear to win comfortably. Mossfun settled outside Earthquake and tried very hard from the turn, holding on for second. Alpha Miss ran very well as she was deep throughout the race but battled hard to finish a close third.

AND THE BIG-RACE VERDICT IS ... EARTHQUAKE

The unbeaten Earthquake has won each of her four starts brilliantly and is the standout juvenile. She was dominant when ridden from behind in the Blue Diamond then showed her versatility to lead throughout in the Reisling Stakes. She will be better ridden from behind with cover tomorrow and that will enable her to use that explosive acceleration. The setback earlier in the week with a slightly raised temperature is a concern but she did not miss any serious work, she is very fit and has the talent to overcome this and win the Golden Slipper.

Mossfun is clearly the danger. She drew outside Earthquake last start, shared the lead with that filly and lost nothing in the run home, finishing just over a length away in second place. Mossfun had won the Silver Slipper Stakes previously in runaway fashion and is a very professional filly. She has a definite winning hope and her chances will soar if there is any rain.

Unencumbered is the most experienced youngster in the race and his lining up for his ninth start. His gallop with blinkers on earlier this week was outstanding and he is right in the mix here. The Magic Millions winner didn’t have the breaks go his way in the Todman Stakes but still ran well for second and he can improve further tomorrow. Alpha Miss is an underrated filly who comes off a very competitive effort when third to Earthquake and Mossfun in the Reisling Stakes, A repeat of that effort will have her in the finish tomorrow.

Memorial ran last in the Reisling Stakes but she did not race generously in winkers and they have been removed for the Golden Slipper. The Darley team hold her in very high regard and believe she works as well as Earthquake on the training track. Memorial is massively over the odds at $101. Valentia has been a big improver race to race and goes into the Golden Slipper after winning the Skyline Stakes. He will be finishing stronger than anything in the race. Bring Me The Maid impressed last week, Oakleigh Girl will give them plenty to chase, and Cornrow, although still a maiden, will be finishing fast.

RAY’S TIPS

1 EARTHQUAKE

2 Mossfun

3 Unencumbered

4 Alpha Miss

Best outsider: Memorial