Some facts about the world’s richest race for two-year-olds, the $3.5 million Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday:-
* Todman won the inaugural running in 1957 by eight lengths and started at 1-6.
* Magic Night (1961) was the first filly to win the race.
* The Golden Slipper has been won by 26 colts, seven geldings and 23 fillies.
* Seventeen favourites have won the Slipper since its inception, the latest being Sepoy (2011).
* TJ Smith is the only person to have bred, owned and trained a Golden Slipper winner – Bounding Away in 1986.
* Smith also holds the Slipper training record of six wins – Fairy Walk (1971), John’s Hope (1972), Hartshill (1974), Toy Show (1975), Bounding Away (1986) and Star Watch in 1988.
* Smith’s daughter Gai Waterhouse joined Bart Cummings, Lee Freedman and Clarry Conners with four winners when Pierro won last year.
* Waterhouse trained the trifecta in 2001 when her first winner Ha Ha beat Excellerator and Red Hannigan.
* Waterhouse’s other Slipper winners are: Dance Hero (2004), Sebring (2008) and Pierro (2012).
* Winning jockeys with rides this year: Kerrin McEvoy – Sidestep (Sepoy 2011); Jim Cassidy – Sweet Idea (Ha Ha 2001); Craig Williams – Ruud Awakening (Miss Finland 2006); Nash Rawiller – Whittington (Pierro 2012).
* Winning trainers with runners this year: Gai Waterhouse – Overreach, Sweet Idea, Whittington (Pierro 2012, Sebring 2008, Dance Hero 2004, Ha Ha 2001); Peter Snowden – Sidestep, Guelph, Kuroshio (Sepoy 2011); David Hayes – Fast `N’ Rocking (Miss Finland 2006).
* Barrier one is the most successful in the Slipper’s history with eight wins. Winning barriers and the last winner to jump from them are:- Barrier 1 – nine winners (Pierro 2012); 2 – two (Dance Hero 2004); 3 – six (Catbird 1999); 4 – five (Century Miss 1979); 5 – four (Sebring 2008); 6 – three (Stratum 2005); 7 – two (Miss Finland 2006); 8 – six (Sepoy 2011); 9 – three (Sweet Embrace 1967); 10 – five (Danzero 1994); 11 – three (Ha Ha 2001); 12 – two (Inspired 1984); 13 – nil (-); 14 – four (Polar Success 2003); 15 – one (Star Watch 1988); 16 – one (Phelan Ready 2009).
