For 2yo fillies, the Reisling Slipper Trial is a better form line for the Golden Slipper than its male counterpart, the Todman. Named after the 1965 Golden Slipper winner, the Reisling started in 1973. Since then, five winners of the Slipper have come through the race in Hartshill, Burst, Merlene, Belle Du Jour and Polar Success. Winners have also become more prevalent as fillies have started to dominate the Golden Slipper.
Silver Slipper Lead In
The Silver Slipper has proven to be a good lead in race to the Reisling. Last year’s winner, Hips Don’t Lie won that race, while Polar Success ran 2nd in 2003. Gerald Ryan trains this year’s Silver Slipper winner in Melito. Melito is a daughter of boom sire, Redoute’s Choice out of a mare by Golden Slipper winning stallion, Marauding. She is from the female family of Zeditave and Gerald Ryan looks to have a great chance with Melito. Sunday Rose, representing her trainer, Bart Cummings, finished second to Melito in the Silver Slipper and will no doubt be wanting to turn the tables on the weekend.
Blue Diamond
Rather surprisingly the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes is another good form line for the Reisling. Press The Button was 6th in the race in 2007, while the great filly Alinghi came off a win in that race before going on to success in the Reisling Stakes. This year sees a largely NSW dominated field though making the form lines much easier to assess.
Trainer David Hayes
Leading trainer David Hayes has trained the last two Reisling winners, yet has never trained the winner of the colt’s equivalent, the Todman. This weekend David Hayes has Arctic Light entered. Arctic Light comes out of a NMW 2yo race so is likely to find the class rise against her. Her third dam is the 1987 winner of this race, in Midnight Fever.
Sire Encosta De Lago
One of Australia’s leading sires, Encosta De Lago has a good record with winners of the Reisling. Both Press The Button and Alinghi, who coincidentally came out of the Blue Diamond, are both daughters of this stallion. Encosta De Lago is represented this weekend by Miss Macarthur. Her trainer, Jason Coyle, and owners, Patinack Farm are new to the race. Patinack Farm is also represented by Madeittothemoon, by Magic Albert who comes out of the Kindergarten Stakes. Clarry Connors trains Our Joan Of Arc who ran a nice third in the Kindergarten. Readyor, for trainer Jack Denham was 4th in that race.
Trainer Lee Freedman
Lee Freedman trained Alinghi to win this race. This year he has Colour, by More Than Ready entered. Colour is unbeaten and her last win was in the Group 3 Marsh Breeders Stakes in South Australia. The form around her will make it hard to line up.
Trainer Gai Waterhouse
Leading Sydney trainer, Gai Waterhouse has the most talked about horse in the field. More Joyous, for a syndicate managed by John Singleton, put on a buck jumping display in her last start in the Silver Slipper when the saddle shifted. Gai Waterhouse was confident that More Joyous, by More Than Ready out of Sunday Joy, would have won the Silver Slipper. If she had, More Joyous would have been at prohibitive odds in the Reisling. Gai Waterhouse has already had success in the Reisling with Fashions Afield winning in 2005
Ross Prowd - Ross Prowd is a freelance racing journalist in Australia, as well as being a renowned pedigree expert. He writes weekly for Australia's ...
