Silver Slipper Stakes – 2022

Track: Good – Soft Weather: Likely Cloudy.

Fourteen runners have accepted for the $250,000 Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes.  Peter and Paul Snowden, James Cummings, and the Gerald Ryan/Sterling Alexiou have all got two runners and there are two runners coming into this race first-up.  The early favourite in an open betting market is Richard & Michael Freedman trained Queen of the Ball.  She is coming off a comprehensive victory in the Widden Stakes, where she saluted by 3.8 lengths on a rail/leader favoured track. Next in the betting is Shalatin, who comes into this race first-up. He has had two trials in preparation for this after a solid placing in the Golden Gift last preparation.

Best of Bordeaux was a 4.8 length winner in the Canonbury Stakes which was on the same day as Queen of the Ball, so the rail and leader bias was present. Cythera is also a last-start winner at Randwick and will be looking to go back-to-back.

Speed Map:

1. Shalatin (13)

Returning off two nice trials. Placed behind Sejardan at the end of last preparation. He will get back from the draw and will need some luck, but if the track plays fair, I expect this bloke to be right in the finish.

2. Best of Bordeaux (7)

Won well last start, albeit on a leader and rails bias track. Won’t get the lead as easy here and will need to go to a new level to win.

3. Athletica (12)

He was a bit plain first-up behind Xtravagant Star and will need to improve to his form to be a factor.

4. Emperor (10)

Another who was quite plain last start in the Xtravagant Star race will need to improve big time.

5. Zambezi River (9)

Blinkers go on this colt. Another who was ordinary out of the same race as Emperor and  Athletica. He is better than that, I expect improvement but not sure he is a winning chance.

6. Spacewalk (15)

He led last start and faded. Gets synthetic hoof filler first time. Prefer others.

7. Nolan (5)

Drawn nicely but is coming off a placing in a mid-week maiden race.

8. Boyfriend (3)

Ran okay on debut behind Cythera. Gets the winkers for the first time. Might improve second-up.

9. Magic (11)

On debut after three nice trials. Full-brother to Yearning. Will need to see.

10. Psychiatrist (4)

Poor in only race start. The cross-over nose band goes on first-time. Both trials in the lead-up to this were good though he is nominated at Canterbury Friday and Caloundra Saturday on top of here. Place chance if he runs here.

11. Ojai (6)

Winkers on first-time. Ran some nice closing sectionals behind Queen of the Ball, Looks to have come back nicely. Drawn well and can make herself known here.

12. Miss Hellfire (14)  – SCRATCHED

Scratched.

13. Queen of the Ball (1)

Won well first-up on a leader/rail bias track. Will need to beat those figures and handle the on-speed pressure. Place chance.

14. Ebhaar (8)

Was very keen last start and ended up having a poor recovery. Since then has trialled well and maps to get a nice run here. She is quirky and could blow them away or fail badly. Snowden’s second-up record is very good (18.3% in last 12 months)

15. Cythera (2)

Winner last start on the bias favoured track. Lot’s of speed in this race and it doesn’t favour her. Snowden’s second-up record is very good (18.3% in last 12 months). Prefer others

The following are the top 4 selections for this year’s race.

Josh’s Tips	Jo’s Tips
14 Ebhaar (EW)	2 Best Of Bordeaux
1 Shalatin	13 Queen of the Ball
11 Ojai	11 Ojai
13 Queen of the Ball	10 Psychiatrist

Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes 2022 (Flemington 1000m)

Group 2 Hobartville Stakes 2022 (Rosehill 1400m)

Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes 2022 (Rosehill 1300m)