In also winning the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes and Group 2 Todman Stakes, Farnan achieved the $1 million bonus as a pathway incentive to winning the world’s richest race for two-year-olds.
“The Group 1 TAB Golden Slipper remains amongst the most important on the racing calendar,” said Nevesh Ramdhani, the Australian Turf Club Head of Racing and Wagering.
“The $1 million bonus adds extra incentive in the lead ups, with all five bonus races are Group 2 events, and have produced a higher number of Golden Slipper winners in recent decades.’’
However, to claim the bonus a horse must have won two of five nominated races as well as winning the ultimate prize the Group 1 $5m TAB Golden Slipper at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
In narrowly missing the $1 million bonus in 2023, the Godolphin trained Cylinder first took out the Silver Slipper and Todman Stakes, only to be a close second to Shinzo in the Golden Slipper.
In fact, Saturday’s highly fancied Wodeton is a non-Pathway winner, have been a ¾ length second to Tentyris in the Todman Stakes and earlier third to Beiwacht in the Sliver Slipper Stakes.
A near 4 length winner of his first start over 1100m at Rosehill, Wodeton is the $4.60 favourite with nation-wide wagering agencies, and will again be ridden by James McDonald from Gate 2.
Trained by Chris Waller for the Coolmore partnership, he was a $1.6m buy for Tom Magnier at the 2024 Gold Coast Magic Millions, by the highly credible international sire Wootton Bassett.
Being from the Morphettville Guineas winning Exceed and Excel mare Fiera Vista, the family Silent Witness, it was Tom Magnier buying his I Am Invincible half-brother for $1.15m in January.
Priced as the $5.50 pick is the Pathway’s Reisling Stakes winner Tempted, having also won over 1000m at Warwick Farm, was third in the Widden Stakes and seventh in the Blue Diamond.
To be ridden by Blake Shinn for trainer James Cummings and starting from Barrier 1 of 16 runners plus two emergencies, she’s home-bred by Street Boss from the Magic Night winner Calliope.
Third in-line at $8 is last Saturday’s striking 3¼ length Pago Pago Stakes winner Skyhook, who’ll be ridden by Kerrin McEvoy from Barrier 8 for Rosehill based Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou.
Previously second in the Skyline Stakes, he was a $575,000 buy at the 2024 Gold Coast Magic Millions from Arrowfield Stud, and by champion sire Written Tycoon is closely related to Anders
The unbeaten Skyline Stakes winner Rivellino carries No 1 saddle cloth for trainer Kris Lees, and at $11 will start from Barrier 3 with Hugh Bowman, having last won the $2m Inglis Millennium.
A $180,000 buy for Lees Racing at the 2024 Classic Yearling Sale from Lime Country Thoroughbreds, he’s by young international sire Too Darn Hot from winning So You Think mare Intrinsic.
The Sweet Embrace Stakes winner Within The Law is at $13 with betting agencies for Darby Racing and trainer Bjorn Baker, and with Jason Collett starting from 13 she was just a $30,000 Lucky Vega sired yearling.
James Cummings and Godolphin also have the Sliver Slipper winner Beiwacht priced over the odds at $41, and with Adam Hyeronimus jumping from Gate 16 he’s by Darley’s new sire Bivouac.
In not accepting for the 2025 Golden Slipper, is the last-to-first Todman Stakes winner Tentyris being held back by Godolphin to contest the longer race distance 2YO Classics at The Championships
Also not accepting for the Slipper is the Peter Snowden trained Capitalist filly Memo, who in qualifying for winning the Magic Night Stakes was a good second in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
