The highly anticipated clash between 2015 Golden Slipper favourites Ottoman and Vancouver will no longer take place in Saturday’s Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) after Gai Waterhouse failed to accept with the latter.
Ottoman heads the Silver Slipper Stakes after Vancouver was a surprise non-acceptor. Photo by Steve Hart.
The final field and barrier draw was released for the Silver Slipper Stakes on Wednesday morning and the unbeaten colt was nowhere to be seen, despite talks as late as yesterday about him tackling the race.
It is likely that Vancouver will head straight to the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) two weeks later, with a potential barrier trial on Monday morning.
Vancouver was co-favourite in the Golden Slipper futures betting at Ladbrokes.com.au along with Ottoman, who will now head the 2015 Silver Slipper Stakes on her own this Saturday.
One of two Godolphin juveniles set to contest the race, Ottoman has just one start to her name. The filly made her debut in the Tab Place Multi Plate (1100m) back in December, in which she displayed good speed to reach the leaders from 10 lengths back in the final 500m, roaring home and winning a great first run.
Ottoman will have to overcome a wide start from the outside gate on Saturday with James McDonald to ride.
Godolphin’s other star two-year-old running in the Silver Slipper is Holler, who’ll enjoy the inside jump from barrier one with Sam Clipperton. This means trainer John O’Shea has both the inside and outside runners.
Holler made his debut on January 17 in the Hyland Race Colours Plate (1100m) at Randwick, giving a great kick at 250m out to win running away.
The Les Ross-trained Mishani Honcho is the most experienced juvenile running on Saturday but the only one to not win its last start. With seven career starts to his name, Mishani Honcho is a lot fitter than his rivals. The gelding won the Group 3 BJ McLachlan Stakes (1200m) at the end of December along with the lucrative Racing Minister’s Classic (1200m). Both were won with a margin of more than two lengths.
Mishani Honcho will race outside of Queensland for the first time on Saturday as the gelding jumps from barrier five with Chris Whiteley.
Gary Nickson’s Voilier will get his first start since his impressive three and a half length debut victory in the Sire Custodians Plate (1100m) back in December. He is set to jump from barrier three with Tye Angland.
Check out the complete 2015 Silver Slipper Stakes field and barrier draw below.
Betting markets will open for the Golden Slipper lead-up race at Ladbrokes.com.au shortly. You could back the next winner of the $3.5 million race at lucrative odds!
2015 Silver Slipper Stakes Field & Barrier Draw
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1210113 | MISHANI HONCHO | Les Ross | Chris Whiteley | 5 | 56.5kg |
| 2 | 1 | HOLLER | John O’Shea | Sam Clipperton | 1 | 56.5kg |
| 3 | 1x | PACEMAN | Peter & Paul Snowden | Hugh Bowman | 7 | 56.5kg |
| 4 | 1x | VOILIER | Gary Nickson | Tye Angland | 3 | 56.5kg |
| 5 | 1 | HEADWATER | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Blake Shinn | 4 | 56.5kg |
| 6 | 1x | OTTOMAN | John O’Shea | James McDonald | 8 | 54.5kg |
| 7 | 51×1 | ALART | Pat Farrell | – | 6 | 54.5kg |
| 8 | 1 | SNITZEL’S GODDESS | David Vandyke | Ms Kathy O’Hara | 2 | 54.5kg |
