This year’s Golden Slipper features a full field and all bar three runners were purchased at auction and three were bought for $1million or more with the cheapest runner also the only Group I winner in the field.
Most expensive runners are Bodyguard ($1.6million), Switzerland ($1.5million) and Eneeza ($1.1million), while at the other end of the scale Fully Lit was the cheapest yearling purchase at $60,000 secured by Red Fox Racing, while Hayasugi is the cheapest overall purchased for $47,500 as a weanling by James Bester Bloodstock / Rathosheen Bloodstock / C Mok.
The Waterhouse Bott stable have seven runners and were involved in the purchase of three of them as yearlings including the favourite Storm Boy, who was plucked from the Coolmore draft at Magic Millions for $460,000. A majority share in the son of Justify was purchased earlier this year by Coolmore and he is one of two colts in the race for them as they are also in the ownership of Switzerland.
Yulong have a presence in this year’s race both as an owner and as a breeder/vendor.
They bred and sold Shangri La Express as a yearling at Inglis Classic for $220,000 (retaining a share) and purchased Straight Charge for $270,000 at Magic Millions.
Emirates Park are also represented as a breeder/vendor as an owner having bred and sold Bodyguard for $1.6million and they bred and retained Manaal to race.
The McEvoy Mitchell Racing Pty Ltd / Belmont Bloodstock Agency buying partnership have managed to secure two Slipper runners for not a lot of money with Rue de Royale a $180,000 Inglis Classic purchase, while Dublin Down was a $370,000 Magic Millions purchase and was the highest price yearling by his sire at that sale and highest priced colt from the first crop of Exceedance.
Operating a lot further up in the marketplace, James Harron Bloodstock colts Partnership also have two runners paying $1.6million for Bodyguard and $1million for emergency Espionage, if he gains a start.
Newgate / China Horse Club and partners have one runner in Holmes a Court, an $850,000 purchase that was the most expensive yearling by Capitalist sold in 2023.
Kia Ora Stud are also involved in the ownership and purchase of two runners in $650,000 colt Prost and $1.1million filly Eneeza.
Golden Slipper Sail Mail
1 - Storm Boy - 2c Justify x Pelican
$460,000 2023 MM Gold Coast Ylg (226) V: Coolmore Stud B: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing/Kestrel Thoroughbreds
2 - Fully Lit - 2c Hellbent x Sunlit
$60,000 2023 Inglis Classic Ylg (122) V: Glenlogan Park B: REDFOX Racing
3 - Shangri La Express - 2c Alabama Express x Sent From Above
$220,000 2023 MM Gold Coast Ylg (353) V: Yulong B: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing/Kestrel Thoroughbreds
4 - Rue De Royale –(NZ) 2c Per Incanto x Urban Royal
$180,000 2023 Inglis Classic Ylg (181) V: Sledmere Stud B: McEvoy Mitchell Racing Pty Ltd / Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA)
5 - Traffic Warden - 2c Street Boss x Efficiently
Godolphin homebred
6 - Straight Charge - 2c Written By x Matryoshka
$160,000 2022 Inglis Australian Wlg (254) V: Twin Hills Stud B: Paul Moroney Bloodstock / Pegasus Bloodstock
$270,000 2023 MM Gold Coast Ylg (100) V: Lime Country Thoroughbreds B: Yu Long Investments (Australia) Pty Ltd
7 - Switzerland - 2c Snitzel x Ms Bad Behavior
$1,500,000 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Ylg (254) V: Arrowfield Stud B: T Magnier
8 - Bodyguard - 2c I Am Invincible x Tumooh
$1,600,000 2023 MM Gold Coast Ylg (504) V: Emirates Park B: James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership
9 - Dublin Down - 2c Exceedance x Dublin Lass
$370,000 2023 MM Gold Coast Ylg (809) V: Edinburgh Park B: McEvoy Mitchell Racing/Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA)
10 - Coleman - 2c Pierata x Sboog
$550,000 2023 MM Gold Coast Ylg (338) V: Kulani Park B: Matt Laurie Racing/Justin Bahen
11 - Holmes A Court - 2c Capitalist x Menagerie
$850,000 2023 MM Gold Coast Ylg (109) V: Newgate Farm B: China Horse Club/Newgate/Go/Trilogy
12 - Prost - 2c Snitzel x Samarmeteors
$650,000 2023 MM Gold Coast Ylg (325) V: Baramul Stud B: Kia Ora Stud Pty Ltd/TFI /Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing
13 - Hayasugi - 2f Royal Meeting x China Road
$47,500 2022 Inglis Australian Wlg (70) V: Fairhill Farm B: James Bester Bloodstock / Rathosheen Bloodstock / C Mok, VIC
14 - Lady Of Camelot - 2f Written Tycoon x Miss Debutante
Go Bloodstock homebred
15 - Manaal - 2f Tassort x Red Lodge
Emirates Park homebred
16 - Eneeza - 2f Exceed And Excel x Sweet Sherry
$1,100,000 2023 MM Gold Coast Ylg (452) V: Silverdale Farm B: Kia Ora Stud Pty Ltd/TFI
17 - Espionage - 2c Zoustar x In Times Of War
$1,000,000 2023 MM Gold Coast Ylg (967) V: Baramul Stud B: James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership
