The $5million Golden Slipper is an open race this year if you have the odd reservation about the favourite Coolangatta, so let’s take a look at where these elite two year-olds have been sourced.
12 of the 20 runners (four emergencies) were offered for sale as yearlings with two of the emergency runners Man in the Mirror (Not a Single Doubt) and Millane (Zoustar) the most expensive runners having been bought for $1.8million and $1.15 million.
Of the runners that have made the final field we have two horses sharing top price honours in Russian Conquest and Best of Bordeaux.
Bought by Snowden Racing for $425,000 at Magic Millions from the Newgate Farm draft, Russian Conquest was the equal highest priced yearling sold in the first crop of Russian Revolution.
Snitzel colt Best of Bordeaux was bought by his trainer Kacy Fogden from the Baramul Stud draft at Magic Millions also for $425,000.
Race favourite Coolangatta (Written Tycoon) was also purchased from Magic Millions by her co-trainer Ciaron Maher fetching $280,000 for Milburn Creek Thoroughbreds.
Gary Portelli paid $160,000 for his gun Sebring colt Sejardan at Inglis Classic from the Middlebrook Valley Lodge draft.
Triple Crown Syndications have a runner in the big one with Revolutionary Miss (Russian Revolution), a savvy $195,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Sledmere Stud draft.
Anthony Cummings is another trainer to find his own Slipper runner, purchasing She’s Extreme from the Willow Park Stud draft at Inglis Easter for $275,000.
US based Spendthrift are selling their entire Australian breeding and racing operation and the Golden Slipper may well make a difference to the asking price if Capitalist colt Sebonack, who carries their colours, can salute. He was a $260,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Sledmere Stud draft and runs for Spendthrift in partnership with other Hawkes stable clients.