She Will Reign Solidifies Golden Slipper Favouritism

An audible groan rang around the track when long odds-on favourite She Will Reign missed the start in Saturday's Group II Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill but all was well in the end when the Manhattan Rain filly solidified favouritism for the Golden Slipper with the easiest of wins.   

The Gary Portelli-trained filly had two handlers in the paddock but it looked more likely they were there to prop her up rather than her antics.

For an inexperienced two-year-old, She Will Reign gives new meaning to the term laid-back.

She missed the start but Ben Melham didn't panic. He saved a great deal of ground by sticking to the rail. Ambling up to the leaders under a tight hold, She Will Reign came clear to defeat the John O'Shea-trained Veranillo (Medaglia d'Oro) by 1-1/2 lengths with Hawkes Racing's Showtime (Snitzel) another half-length away in third. (photos Steve Hart). 

"I came here thinking I bet she misses the start today," Portelli said.

"There was so much expectation. She half missed the start in the Inglis race.

"She is so relaxed. I've got a feeling on raceday she goes into a bit of a trance or something, she looks really quiet.

"When the gates opened she just stood there.

"We see what she does in trackwork and we know she's got a turn of foot.

"It's just a matter of something like that happening to her today to show us she can come from behind.

" It was perfect education for her going forward and I think now we have a true chance in the Golden Slipper.

Portelli gave thanks to previous trainer Michel Costa who lost the filly when he decided to move to Queensland.

"I feel sorry for poor Michael Costa who is probably curled up in a ball in Queensland. They wanted the horse to stay in Sydney and they selected me as the trainer. He did a fair bit of work to get her educated and I've just put the polish on her."

A first-up winner at Kembla Grange for Deanne Panya, She Will Reign has been ridden by Melham in her last two starts.

The Melbourne-based rider also believes they learnt more about the filly after she missed the start.

"She was a little bit tardy away in the Inglis race as well so today I had in my mind I'd ride her just by feel," Melham said.

"When she was tardy away I was happy to take that opportunity and see if she would settle.

"In a way it was a blessing in disguise because she relaxed really well and just handled it like a real professional."

She Will Reign was a $20,000 purchase for Darby Racing from the Ambergate Farm draft (as agent for Middlebrook Station Thoroughbreds) at the 2016 Inglis Classic Yearling sale.

Darby Racing came close to winning the Golden Slipper 12 months ago with another bargain buy, Yankee Rose.

She Will Reign is the first foal of the Sydney winning Charge Forward mare Courgette, herself a $25,000 Inglis Premier Yearling.

Courgette is a daughter of the unraced Marscay mare Our Farm Girl a sister to Listed Gimcrack Stakes winner Millie and a half-sister to Listed Winter Cup winner Touch Of Sun (Snippets) out of the Group II Reisling Slipper winner and Group 1 AJC Oaks runner-up Sunshine Sally (Cheraw).

Courgette has a yearling filly by Shamus Award that is entered in the Yarraman Stud draft at the Easter Yearling sale and a colt foal by Time For War.

For leading Victorian nursery, Blue Gum Farm, She Will Reign's rise to the top of the pecking order could have hardly been more timely.

Not only did they consign the star juvenile to the Classic sale, they will also stand Manhattan Reign after he relocated from Arrowfield Stud.