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/ Gary Crispe / 04 April 2012 / Leave a Comment 
Unbeaten filly Samaready
"However if she [Samaready] can return to her peak rating of 123 she clearly rates as the horse to beat
A crackerjack line up of youngsters will take their place in the $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (off 07:05 BST) at Rosehill on Saturday in a contest befitting the richest two-year-old race in the world writes Timeform's man 'Down Under', Gary Crispe...
On ratings it is hard to go past the unbeaten filly Samaready who already has a Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes victory to her credit at just her third racetrack appearance. A win for Samaready will see her become part a select group of five juveniles to have taken the Blue Diamond Stakes/Golden Slipper Stakes double in 41 years; last year's double winner Sepoy the first horse in over 20 years to do so, joining Courtza (1989), Bounding Away (1986), Manikato (1978) and John's Hero (1972).
Samaready, unbeaten in four race starts, debuted last December at Flemington down the straight 1000m with a soft win before being put away to mature for the Autumn. In a sign of just of just how much improvement she had made during her spell, Samaready resumed in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) in early February with an impressive display, winning untouched by over three lengths in very fast time.
That effort ensured she started a firm favourite in the Blue Diamond Stakes, a race she took in dominant style. Samaready in doing so recorded a Timeform rating of 123 to become the highest rated filly to win the feature in the last 25 years and just 1 lb below Sepoy who is the highest Timeform rated winner of the race in the same period.
Her astute trainer Mick Price knows just how difficult it is to have a juvenile peak twice in a campaign, which is why not many youngsters have been able to complete the Blue Diamond/Golden Slipper double, two group one races generally within a month of each other in different States and on different tracks, one clockwise and the other anti clockwise. So Price wisely let the filly have some easy time before embarking on a Sydney campaign that would lead to the Golden Slipper.
After a month's break, the Reisling Stakes was selected as her Sydney debut run and lead up to the Slipper. Opposed to a handy field including Gimcrack Stakes winner Hussousa, Samaready settled second last early before getting into the race approaching the 600m where rider Craig Newitt made a long run around the field. Samaready took a little time to balance up around Rosehill but once she put her mind on the proceedings, she quickly lengthened putting the race beyond doubt, idling to the line defeating Hussousa by two lengths.
As expected, Samaready rated 121, slightly below her Blue Diamond figure. However if she can return to her peak rating of 123 she clearly rates as the horse to beat, especially as she will receive an additional 2kgs from the males under the set weights of the race.
Her main danger Pierro also raced on the same day winning the Todman Stakes in a close finish over Epaulette rating to a new peak of 122 enabling some interesting direct and indirect form line comparisons between the pair to be established. At level weights, Pierro's race time was 0.05 seconds slower than Samaready and the filly has an additional 2kgs weight advantage.
At his start prior Pierro had beaten Hussousa in the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes by a length when conceding 2kgs to her which, when adjusted for level weights, also confirms there would be just over two lengths between Pierro and Hussousa. This almost confirms the same result from the Todman/Reisling times/weight comparison which gives Samaready at least 2kgs advantage over Pierro, all things being equal. Weight adjusted Timeform ratings analysis also leads to the same conclusion that Samaready has a clear edge over the colts.
That said Pierro, who will start from the inside barrier, much like Samaready has continued to improve from a limited number of race starts. If he improves again and Samaready goes backwards, then he could be the horse to beat. Pierro is undefeated in three runs but has been champion trainer Gai Waterhouse's main Slipper chance since his narrow debut win in the listed Breeders' Plate at Randwick last October.After a spell, he resumed with a strong win in the Silver Slipper then battled hard to hold out Black Opal Stakes winner Epaulette in the Todman Stakes.
Champion jockey Nash Rawiller who is searching for his first Slipper win, retains the mount which is a major asset in any feature race. Waterhouse on the other hand is chasing her fourth Slipper winner having already trained Sebring (2008), Dance Hero (2004) and Ha Ha (2001).
Away from Samaready and Pierro, the well drawn Black Opal Stakes winner Epaulette looms as a definite chance if the Peter Snowden-trained galloper runs to his narrow Todman Stakes defeat where he also rated 122.
A half brother to multiple top-level winner Helmet, Epaulette has raced just three times for two wins and a narrow defeat in the Todman, taking his Timeform rating from 106 to 122 in the process. Unlike in the Black Opal where he was ridden for speed, in the Todman Epaulette was ridden quietly and he finished the race off solidly, something which maybe an advantage on Saturday. After reaching the lead 200m form home, Pierro fought back solidly to just nose him out on the line and like that horse is capable of further slight improvement.
However Slipper history has not been kind to Black Opal Stakes winners. While several Black Opal Stakes winners have been placed in the Golden Slipper, Decision Time the last in 2010, just one horse has completed the double in 38 years - Catbird in 1999.
Fillies No Looking Back (114), Driefontein (115) and Snitzerland (114) can all stake their claims if the top fancies falter, especially as they are significantly advantaged by the 2kgs weight advantage over the males.
No Looking Back brings excellent form lines to the race. After winning on debut at Warwick Farm, she took on the Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast and after defeating stablemate Driefontein in a close finish, lost the race in the steward's room in controversial circumstances. She then went to Melbourne for the Blue Diamond Stakes but drew a wide barrier. Despite being forced to cover additional ground she loomed up to Samaready in the straight but was unable to match that filly's acceleration in the last 200m finishing a creditable second.
Since then No Looking Back has barrier trialled and been kept right up to the mark fitness wise. With the all-conquering Craig Williams to take the mount she has to be respected as the "forgotten" horse of the race.
The unbeaten filly Driefontein, winner of the Magic Millions 2YO Classic on protest from stablemate No Looking Back stays under notice as a value hope. Given a 35 day break after her Magic Millions success, she narrowly scored in the Widden Stakes over 1100m at Warwick Farm in mid February holding her Timeform 115 rating. Driefontein comes into the Slipper off a six week break but being a Waterhouse-trained galloper that should be of no concern to punters. The filly will be ready to race to her best.
Snitzerland could be another value runner now that trainer Gerald Ryan has elected to fit her with blinkers on Saturday. A convincing winner of the Inglis Premier Race at Mornington before thrashing the Breeders' Stakes field down the Flemington straight 1200m, returning to Sydney she was disappointing behind Samaready in the Reisling Stakes. Snitzerland can be expected to improve on her Reisling effort.
While winning a Golden Slipper is never easy, the ratings clearly point to the race being won by one of the top three leading fancies. I don't see barrier 11 as a disadvantage and if Samaready reproduces either of her last two Timeform ratings, at the weights it is hard to see her being beaten.
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