North England locks in his place in Golden Slipper with gutsy win in Golden Gift at Rosehill

Gai Waterhouse has her sights on a ninth Golden Slipper after North England locked in his spot after winning the lucrative Golden Gift.

North England locked in his place in the Golden Slipper with victory in the $1m Golden Gift at Rosehill. Picture: Getty Images

Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have designs on another Golden Slipper – and with a colt sired by one of their previous winners of the world’s richest two-year-old race.

Crack colt North England, from the first crop of boom stallion Farnan, scored a brilliant win in the Group 3 $1m Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

North England collected $580,000 first prizemoney which also means he is the first horse into the $5m Golden Slipper field next autumn.

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Farnan, who stands at Kia Ora Stud, gave Waterhouse and Bott their first Golden Slipper winner together when he scored in 2020. The trainers won again with Lady Of Camelot earlier this year.

Waterhouse, who has trained a record eight Golden Slippers winners during her celebrated career, said she took particular satisfaction from North England’s brilliant win.

“North England is a bombproof two-year-old, he does everything right and he is only going to keep getting better with racing. He is on his way to the Golden Slipper now,” Waterhouse said.

“His sire, Farnan, was a champion two-year-old and it means a lot for our stable to produce his first winner – and it’s a Group (3) winner!”

North England ($3.40 favourite), raced by Henry Field’s Newgate Farm, led most of the way and held off the fast-finishing West Of Swindon ($9) to win by a half neck with Extractor ($13) a nose away third.

Waterhouse said North England had done so well after his debut third in the Breeders Plate five weeks ago that the decision was set the colt for the Golden Gift.

“Henry wanted to target this race so Adrian worked out a plan to give the colt a short let up and get him ready.

“It just goes to show that you can’t beat Breeders Plate form – it is sensational year after year.

“But it also tells me that the Breeders Plate and the Gimcrack Stakes should be worth a lot more money.

Does the slipper fit? 🤔 North England wins the Inglis Golden Gift for @GaiWaterhouse1 and @clarkyhk! pic.twitter.com/MVPyMRibJ8

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 9, 2024

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“They are always strong two-year-old races and I think they should be worth as much as the Golden Gift.”

North England, who was purchased for $280,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale earlier this year, will now be spelled and set for the Golden Slipper, run at Rosehill Gardens on March 22.

“Adrian and Henry will work out what we will do with North England but he is on his way to the Golden Slipper,” Waterhouse said.

This was the sixth running of the Golden Gift with Waterhouse and Bott the first trainers to win the race twice after their success with Shangri La Express 12 months ago.

Top jockey Tim Clark rode North England and gave the colt his imprimatur after a tough win.

“North England has been very straight forward and a horse that has just put his ‘hand’ up early,” Clark said.

“Obviously, he got to the Breeders Plate and ran really well. He couldn’t have done much more there apart from win.

“Then Henry (Field) and the team identified this race and it’s a short turnaround. He had a little bit of time out and then had to come back in, so it’s a really long prep for them but he’s handled it really well.

“I think that attribute is very much like his old man, Farnan, who I had a lot to do with. He’s very laid-back and he’s just got the best attitude.”

"Ran really well. Couldn't have done much more there apart from win!"

Tim Clark chats to @emma_freedman after North England took out the Golden Gift. pic.twitter.com/HJ6HGQPAgk

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) November 9, 2024

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Clark said North England can “have a good break now and just come back with one race in mind” next autumn.

“The great thing about today, and winning today, is he’s in the race so they can pick their mark with him,” he said. “He doesn’t have to improve a lot to be right up there with the best of them in six months time.”

West Of Swindon, who was on debut, was beaten as much by the barrier as anything. The Team Hawkes-trained colt drew wide and jockey Tyler Schiller was left with no option but to go back in the field early before making his run wide out to finish a close second.

“Wow – he is a very good colt,” Schiller said. “He has made up a lot of ground today, probably just the barrier draw was against him.

“But he has a lot of upside going up in trip and he’s going to make a really good contender in the autumn.”

West Of Swindon collected $190,000 for his second placings which should also ensure he gains a start in the Golden Slipper.

Extractor, a first starter for trainer Michael Freedman, ran very well on debut to finish in the frame for the minor money.

“I was very proud of him today,” Freedman said. “Rosehill is not an easy track for a two-year-old to navigate at their first time but he’s done very well. A little bit further we might have gotten there.”

Originally published as North England locks in his place in Golden Slipper with gutsy win in Golden Gift at Rosehill