Slipper Produces Australia’s Best Maiden

Tara Madgwick - Sunday March 25
The Group I ATC Golden Slipper produced a brilliant finish with the cream of the juvenile crop rising to the occasion and the top three in betting finding their way into the first four past the post, but the surprise packet in the first four was an I Am Invincible filly now undisputedly Australia's best maiden.

Oohood challenges the winner EstijaabA homebred for Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, the Tony McEvoy trained Oohood (image Steve Hart) made the winner Estijaab earn her victory, sticking on gamely to test the Snitzel filly before going down by a long head with her stablemate Sunlight in third place just ahead of the Blue Diamond winner Written By.

"It was a great effort. I thought at the 100m when I was coming I was going to get there but the winner kicked a little bit as I was coming and held me at bay," said her rider Zac Purton.

While much has been written on Estijaab, the performance of Oohood marks her as a horse to follow and she too has a blueblood background.

A half-sister to stakes-placed Breakfast in Bed and six other winners, Oohood is from metropolitan winning Sunday Silence mare Bella Sunday, who was bred by Arrowfield in partnership and sold at the 2002 Magic Millions where she made $420,000 to the bid of Rogerson Bloodstock.

Oohood came with a big pedigree as she is a half-sister to stakes-winner and leading sire Not a Single Doubt being from terrific producer Singles Bar, a daughter of famed matriarch Easy Date, the third dam of the 2007 Golden Slipper winner Forensics.

Bella Sunday did her racing for Ron Finemore and the Arrowfield partners before going to stud for them and it was not until she was offered at the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale in 2013 that she came into the ownership of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum.

She was purchased at that sale by Tim Stakemire on behalf of the Sheikh for just $110,000 and her subsequent foals since 2013 including Oohood have been foaled and raised at Coolmore.

Oohood has yet to miss a place in five starts earning a tick over $800,000 and her Golden Slipper second was preceded by a third in the Blue Diamond.

While she went to the post at $16 in the Slipper, it is very unlikely punters will get such good odds about Oohood in the future.

Footnote: The current yearling from Bella Sunday, a colt by Smart Missile was sold by Coolmore at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $140,000 to McEvoy Mitchell Racing.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Magic Millions 2025 Magazine Online
The 2025 Magic Millions magazine is now online with a great mix of gallery images, editorial and vendor profilies.
Halo Racing Reduction features in November (Late) catalogue
Shares in reigning G1 Caulfield Cup champion Duke de Sessa, G1 Toorak Hcp winner Attrition and tomorrow’s G1 Railway Stakes favourite Light Infantry Man headline an exciting Inglis Digital November (Late) Online Sale.
One to Watch – Moonee Valley
This promising three year-old Cosmic Force filly made it wo wins in as many starts at Moonee Valley on Friday night with a tenacious display.
Pinhook Winners 2024 NZB Ready to Run – Churchill Colt the Star
A record breaking NZB Ready to Run Sale this week at Karaka delivered plenty of pinhook success with 18 two year-olds selling for $300,000 or more above their yearling purchase price, so let’s take a look at some of the best of them.
$1million I Am Invincible Colt from G1 Winner Amanpour
Rosemont Stud bought Group I winning Northern Meteor mare Amanpour for $1.5million at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale and got a big return on investment when selling her I Am Invincible colt for $1million during the first session of Magic Millions on Wednesday.
$1.3million Snitzel Colt Ready to Fire on Debut for Te Akau
Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are confident they have the young firepower to make an early impression in the first of the black type features at Pukekohe Park on Saturday.
Cambridge Stud News
It’s been the spring that keeps giving for Cambridge Stud and it’s not over yet.
Best On Breeding
The cerise, white crossed sashes and black cap of Bob Peters, Peter's Investments, may not be the once dominant force they have been for decades in Western Australian racing, but they are far from finished.
First to 100
It’s probably no surprise to anyone that this stallion is the first to sire 100 Australian winners this season.
Catalogue Online for the Southern Hemisphere Session of the Tattersalls Online December Sale
The catalogue of initial entries for the Southern Hemisphere Session, an innovative collaboration between Tattersalls Online and Inglis Digital, has now been published on the Tattersalls Online website.