Golden Slipper betting was thrown into turmoil after the Group II ATC Silver Slipper (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday with race favourite Cellsabeel failing to fire, while Magic Millions flop Farnan unleashed a brilliant return to form.
Prepared by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Not a Single Doubt colt Farnan won his first two starts in dominant fashion including the $200,000 Wyong Magic Millions 2YO before finishing tenth behind Away Game at the Gold Coast.
Freshened up after that, Farnan looked good winning a recent trial and raced up to his best in the Sliver Slipper, stalking the leader Every Rose before powering away to win as he pleased by more than three lengths with Global Quest a gallant second.
Cellsabeel was always well back and laboured into fifth, so will need to find a lot of improvement on that effort if she’s to figure in the Golden Slipper.
Stewards reported after the race that she had pulled up lame in a foreleg so at least had a reason for the poor showing.
“He’s always proven to us he was a top class colt and he showed that early,” said Adrian Bott of Farnan, whose Golden Slipper price shortened from $51 into $9.
“He didn’t show it in the Magic Millions, but he had genuine excuses for that.
“Today, he had a nice horse to follow and when he loomed up we were always confident, although it took me a bit by surprise how easily he won given the depth of two year-olds in Sydney at the moment.
“The plan was to go to the Todman in two weeks time, but we’ll have some thinking to do now before we commit to that.”
Farnan was a $550,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Vinery Stud draft for Phoenix T'Breds (II) Ltd/Aquis Farms Pty Ltd and was also bred by Phoenix Thoroughbreds, in whose colours he won today.
He has the impressive record of three wins from four starts with prizemoney of $285,000 and is now assured of a Golden Slipper start with winners of the Silver Slipper exempt from ballot.
A three-quarter brother to stakes-winner Sandbar, Farnan is the third winner from Group III winning Street Cry (IRE) mare Tallow, who was bought at the Magic Millions Broodmare Sale in 2017 for $250,000 by David Lucas when carrying Farnan.
She has not produced a foal since then, although was covered by The Autumn Sun last year and appears to be in foal.
Arrowfield Stud’s Not a Single Doubt was retired from stud duties earlier this year and in Farnan has a colt with obvious sire potential for the future.
