A Show like no other: Are Toy Show’s 50-year-old Golden Slipper records about to fall?

The two oldest records in Golden Slipper history are under siege at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday – 50 years since they were established by Toy Show in Sydney’s signature two-year-old race.

The great Toy Show smashes her rivals in the 1975 Golden Slipper.

The two oldest records in Golden Slipper history are under siege at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday – 50 years since they were established by Toy Show in Sydney’s signature two-year-old race.

It was 1975 when the Tommy Smith-trained Toy Show made her race debut only 31 days before the Golden Slipper, winning easily at the Canterbury midweeks.

Toy Show’s second start was in the Magic Night Stakes which she won to qualify for the Golden Slipper.

The brilliant Toy Show, who Smith once said was as good as any two-year-old he trained, backed up a week later to win the Golden Slipper from her stablemate Denise’s Joy.

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On the 50th anniversary of Toy Show’s famous win, she remains the most inexperienced Golden Slipper winner of all time with just two lead-up starts.

No other Golden Slipper winner has made their debut so close to the big race than Toy Show, either.

But both of Toy Show’s records could be broken in the Group 1 $5 million TAB Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. There are seven two-year-olds who are challenging the filly’s longstanding achievements including:

• Devil Night, West Of Swindon, King Of Pop, Farcited, Military Tycoon and Marhoona have only had two previous starts.

• Second emergency Nepotism has had only one race prior to the Golden Slipper.

• King Of Pop made his race debut 31 days ago when he won at Warwick Farm.

• Farcited won on debut at Canberra just 29 days before the Golden Slipper.

• Nepotism went to the races for just the first time 14 days ago.

Toy Show’s jockey, Kevin Langby, recalls the filly had another problem – she had to overcome barrier 15.

Toy Show’s legendary jockey Kevin Langby. Picture: Gaye Gerard

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“An inside gate is always beneficial, particularly around Rosehill, but Toy Show had brilliant gate speed,’’ Langby said.

“She ended up outside the leader to the turn then kicked away to win easily. She was just too good for them.

“I also won the Golden Slipper on John’s Hope in 1972 from a wide barrier. He was like Toy Show, he was fast out of the barriers and got across to be outside the leader.’’

Langby said Toy Show was an outstanding two-year-old and her sheer natural ability enabled her to become the most inexperienced Golden Slipper winner in history.

Toy Show trained on to win the Thousand Guineas, Newmarket Handicap and William Reid Stakes as an older horse despite having persistent back problems throughout her career.

Toy Show wins the 1975 Golden Slipper.

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Langby also won the Golden Slipper on Hartshill (1974) when the filly drew barrier one and never left the fence before winning easily.

“Hartshill got a lovely run behind the leader, Forina, who had won the Blue Diamond,’’ Langby recalled. “But Forina hung out and Hartshill got the rails run.’’

Langby should have won four Golden Slippers – in succession – but champion colt and odds-on favourite Imagele was involved in a sensational three-horse fall in the 1973 Golden Slipper.

“Imagele would have won the Slipper easily,’’ Langby said.

“It was the eventual winner, Tontonan, who pushed up inside me and his shoulder hit Imagele’s rump, turned me on an angled and my horse clipped heels and came down.’’

Imagele suffered broken ribs and other injuries in the fall but he returned in the spring and reeled off successive wins in the Hobartville Stakes, Canterbury Guineas, Rosehill Guineas and AJC Derby.

But fast forward to the present and Langby is standing by his theory that inside barriers are an advantage in the Golden Slipper by selecting Tempted to beat Wodeton and Rivellino. The trio have drawn barriers one, two and three respectively.

“I’m leaning to Tempted,’’ Langby said.

“I think barrier one will suit her and I’d prefer one than 16. Blake Shinn is riding so well, I’m not concerned about her being caught on the inside.’’

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GODOLPHIN maestro James Cummings is chasing a second Golden Slipper with either Tempted or Beiwacht.

Tempted, a last start Reisling Stakes winner, is at $5 equal favourite on TAB Fixed Odds with Wodeton, while stablemate and Silver Slipper winner Beiwacht is out to $51,

Cummings, who trained the 2019 Golden Slipper quinella with Kiamichi and Microphone, said Tempted had come through her Reisling Stakes win in “good style” and was at her peak for the Golden Slipper.

Tempted wins the Reisling Stakes in fantastic fashion for @JamesCummings88! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/GOmVIuwBPP

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 8, 2025

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“She is better for that run at Randwick, she’s improved again a fraction from the Reisling,’’ Cummings said.

“I think the barrier draw is an advantage for Tempted. It gives Blake Shinn the opportunity to not be too worried about the first half of the race.

“He just needs to assertively hold his position and let the race unfold around him.”

Beiwacht is something of a forgotten horse in the Golden Slipper as he is coming off a disappointing unplaced Todman Stakes run and he’s drawn out wide.

There's a new TAB Golden Slipper player on the block! 🙌

Beiwacht wins the G2 TAB Silver Slipper Stakes in fine style! @JamesCummings88 | @godolphin | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/h37fgftk9S

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 22, 2025

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“I’m optimistic he can gain a good run and it could work out for that horse because he’s got the ability to put himself into a race,’’ Cummings said. “He’s got some toughness and some resilience about him.

“Any Silver Slipper winner any year should have the credentials to be running a race in the Golden Slipper.”

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IS it Diablo Bolt’s destiny to win the Group 3 $250,000 N.E. Manion Cup (2400m) on Golden Slipper Day?

Trained by Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald, Diablo Bolt has won five of his past seven starts in Queensland and has earned his chance in the feature staying race where he’s rated at $11 in latest betting.

But the very obvious clue comes in the ownership group with Diablo Bolt is raced by Triple Crown’s Chris Ward and Sam Manion.

Manion is the great-grandson of N.E. (Newman) Manion, a former director of the then-Sydney Turf Club.

The fav Diablo Bolt gets the cash at Doomben! ⚡️@ChesterJag | @ANeashamRacing@TripleCrownSynd | @BrisRacingClubpic.twitter.com/tQ1oBSa4ay

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 22, 2025

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Sam Manion has often presented the Manion Cup to previous winners but the ATC has been able to persuade other Manion family members to be part of Saturday’s presentation ceremony.

“Diablo Bolt is a horse that just keep improving and he deserves his chance in this race,’’ Sam Manion said. “It’s exciting because Golden Slipper meeting is my favourite day of the year.’’

It’s also worth noting that since 2000, 17 of the 25 winners have carried 55kg or less and the in-form Diablo Bolt gets into the Manion Cup on the 53kg limit.

Triple Crown also has $8.9 million dollar earner Mazu in the Group 1 $1 million The Galaxy (1100m) and Miss Hellfire in the Group 3 $250,000 Birthday Card Stakes (1200m).

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5 YEARS AGO

Champion jockey Hugh Bowman won his first Golden Slipper on the brilliant colt Farnan for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott – before an empty Rosehill Gardens grandstand as the Covid outbreak meant no one except racing industry participants and essential race day staff were allowed on track. English raider Addeybb, trained by William Haggas, held off Verry Elleegant to win a thrilling Ranvet Stakes. The John Thompson-trained Dreamforce won the George Ryder Stakes, Castelvecchio finished fast to win the Rosehill Guineas and I Am Excited won The Galaxy.

Today we saw one of the most remarkable Golden Slippers ever run - a race that was watched the world over, but just a few hundred people on track...

Farnan wins the 2020 edition - to give Adrian Bott and @HugeBowman their 1st #GoldenSlipper, & @GaiWaterhouse1 her 7th! Amazing! pic.twitter.com/ZpwZf0OQXK

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 21, 2020

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10 YEARS AGO

Unbeaten colt Vancouver was ridden a masterly race by Tommy Berry to overcome the extreme outside barrier (16) and win the Golden Slipper from English to give trainer Gai Waterhouse the big-race quinella. Godolphin’s Contributer followed his wins in the Apollo Stakes and Chipping Norton Stakes by beating Japan’s Tosen Stardom in the Ranvet Stakes. Another Japanese raider Real Impact won the George Ryder while the Kiwi three-year-old, Volkstock’n’Barrell, trained by Donna Logan, won the Rosehill Guineas. The Waterhouse-trained Sweet Idea won The Galaxy.

20 YEARS AGO

Stratum, trained by Paul Perry, gave jockey Lenny Beasley his second Golden Slipper when he defeated the fillies Fashions Afield and Media. The late Guy Walter-trained Court’s In Session to win the George Ryder, Grand Armee was dominating at weight-for-age that autumn and won the Ranvet Stakes easily. Eremein, ridden by Corey Brown, won the Rosehill Guineas easily then trained on to win the AJC Australian Derby. Charge Forward finally secured his Group 1 by winning The Galaxy.