The Golden Slipper is just five weeks away, and no two-year-old has yet stamped themselves as a clear frontrunner for the showpiece race.
Equal favourite Warwoven hasn’t raced since being ruled lame by Queensland Racing veterinarians on the eve of the Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast last month, impressive Breeders’ Plate winner Incognito was beaten first-up after displacing his palette, and the winner of that race, Hidrix, still needs to repeat his debut performance to consolidate his Slipper claims.
Trainer Michael Freedman, who won the Golden Slipper last year with Marhoona, admits this year’s feature is anything but clear-cut, although he’s hoping last start winner Outspan can emerge as a contender after Saturday’s Pierro Plate (1100m) at Randwick.
“There is no clear, dominant pick for the Slipper at this stage. It’s wide open, a little bit like last year,” Freedman said.
“He’s obviously going to have to put his hand up, but I’m happy with how he’s going.”
A dozen babies will line up in the Pierro Plate and of those, only three raced pre-Christmas.
It’s an increasingly common theme, and one being reflected in the Golden Slipper honour roll.
While six of the past 10 winners hit the racetrack before Christmas, in recent years that statistic has been turned on its head, with three of the past five waiting until the New Year to make their debuts.
Two of those, Marhoona and Stay Inside in 2021, were prepared by Freedman.
“I think that’s going to be more the norm going forward,” Freedman said.
“Trainers are holding their horses back a bit longer. My two Slipper winners, neither of them started until the New Year, and I think that will become more common than not.”
Outspan kicked off his career in January with a closing fifth to Knightsbridge over 1000m at Randwick before breaking his maiden a fortnight later at Rosehill.
He is being given a similar program to Stay Inside, who won on debut in January and took out the Pierro Plate on his way to Slipper glory.
