The all important barrier draw for the Golden Slipper will be held later this morning and that will paint the final pre-race picture that is likely to see Storm Boy start a short priced favourite, but will the world’s richest race for juveniles reshape our 2YO sires list?
The answer to that is probably not with Storm Boy’s sire Justify (USA) already sitting on top of the table by earnings and victory will give the Coolmore based Kentucky Derby winner an unassailable lead to be Champion Australian 2YO Sire for 2023/2024.
Leneva Park’s first season sire Royal Meeting (IRE) is up running second thanks to the deeds of one filly, his Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes winner Hayasugi, while Yulong’s first season sire Alabama Express is also right up there with his Slipper runner Shangri La Express having won the $1million ATC Golden Gift last spring.
Snitzel and Capitalist have both sired six winners that include three stakes-winners and for Snitzel, Switzerland could be the game changer that sends him to the top of the list if he can upset the favoruite.
Bargain priced sire Kobayashi, an Aquis based son of I Am invincible, is the unexpected one on the list with his five Queensland two year-old winners from just nine starters raking in the cash headed by Mishani Aloha winner of the $500,000 Aquis QTIS Jewel.
Kobayashi juveniles were obviously creating talk last spring and he covered 104 mares at Aquis in Queensland at a fee of $8,800, that was up from 12, 36 and 52 in the previous three seasons.
