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Every runner this year was offered at auction barring the Godolphin home bred colts Veranillo (Medaglia D’Oro (USA)) and Trekking (Street Cry (IRE), along with Corumbene Stud homebred Menari (Snitzel) and Arrowfield Stud homebred Teaspoon (Snitzel).
Arrowfield Stud’s Snitzel is the most represented sire with six of the 19 runners including emergencies and also has the most expensive runner in Magic Millions sale-topper Chauffeur, who cost $1.6 million and is first emergency.
Every runner this year carries the blood of Danehill in some way shape or form barring She Will Reign.
Danehill’s champion son Redoute’s Choice has already sired two Slipper winners in Miss Finland and Stratum and features in the pedigree of 11 of the runners. He has a winning hope in quality colt Pariah (pictured below) , a $700,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Arrowfield draft for James Harron Bloodstock, who won the race last year with Capitalist.
Champion sire Fastnet Rock has never sired a Slipper winner, but has two good entries in unbeaten Blue Diamond winner Catchy (pictured below) and her stablemate Formality, both purchased from the Inglis Easter Coolmore draft in 2016 for modest amounts of $220,000 and $120,000 respectively.
Fastnet Rock’s star son Hinchinbrook, a half-brother to Snitzel, also has a good contender in the Mark Newnham trained colt Diamond Tathagata (pictured below) , a $100,000 Inglis Premier purchase from the Kooringal Stud draft.
Unbeaten Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Houtzen (pictured below) flies the flag for Yarraman
Park’s superstar sire I Am Invincible, whose stocks will rise sky high if this
filly can overcome a wide gate and wet track to win.
She was a $105,000 Magic Millions purchase for her trainer Toby Edmonds from the Yarraman Park draft.
Cheapest horse in the race is She Will Reign(pictured below) , who set Darby Bloodstock back just $20,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale when offered by Ambergate Farm. Her half-sister by Shamus Award will be offered at Inglis Easter and a win for She Will Reign will make that filly a hotter than hot commodity.
Golden Slipper hero Pierro is the only first season sire with a runner in the race and Tulip is also the lone entry to have been purchased at the NZB Premier Yearling Sale, secured for $400,000 from the Curraghmore Stud draft by BBA Ireland/ Lindsay Park Racing.
If Tulip does win, she will be the first Golden Slipper winner bought out of Karaka since Courtza, who won in 1989 and was bought by Nick Columb for $300,000 in 1988.