One time Golden Slipper favourite Cellsabeel is out of favour in the betting for the $3.5m 1200m Group 1 for the two year olds at Rosehill on March 21 after finishing third in the Group 3 $250,000 John McGrath Auto Black Opal Stakes (1200m) at Canberra on Sunday.

Cellsabeel, above, is a drifter in the betting for the 2020 Golden Slipper at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

Cellsabeel, above, is a drifter in the betting for the 2020 Golden Slipper at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.

Cellesbell had to come through a bumping dual in the straight before flashing to the line to go down in a three way photo to finish third behind the Peter and Paul Snowden trained duo of Barbaric and Bartley.

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trained Cellsabeel is now marked at $17 for the Golden Slipper at Ladbrokes.com.au with Barbaric firming in from $51 to $31 while Bartley remains a $51 chance.

Cellsabeel scored a stunning six lengths win in an 1100m two year old Handicap at Rosehill on January but has suffered two defeats since with a fifth as the odds on favourite in the Group 2 $250,000 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on February 22 before last Sunday’s Black Opal Stakes third.

The Hinchinbrook filly was scratched from the Group 2 $300,000 Yarraman Park Reisling Stakes (1200m) at Randwick last Saturday after showing signs of slight lameness in her off fore hoof but was cleared to run in the Black Opal Stakes on Sunday.

Cellsabeel is now number nineteen in the order of entry for the Golden Slipper and could just scrap into the final field while Barbaric is now assured a start after being elevated to number twelve courtesy of his win in the Black Opal Stakes.

The lightly raced Barbaric made it two wins from three race start with his victory in Canberra and co-trainer Peter Snowden said that he always had a high opinion of the I Am Invincible colt.

“I’ve always thought a fair bit of him. That might get him in the Slipper now and he wouldn’t be without a chance,” Snowden told Sky Thoroughbred Racing.

“He wants to win. He showed a bit of grit which you want to see.”

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Farnan was elevated to the clear favourite for the Golden Slipper at $4.80 after he made it four wins from five starts with his victory over Tagaloa in the Group 2 $300,000 UNSW Todman Stakes (1200m) at Randwick last Saturday.

Blue Diamond Stakes winner Tagaloa is on the second line of betting at $6 just ahead of the Anthony Freedman trained Hanseatic at $7.50.

Betting for the 2020 Golden Slipper at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.80 Farnan, $6 Tagaloa, $7.50 Hanseatic, $10 Dame Giselle, Minhaaj, $13 See You Soon, $17 Cellsabeel, $21 Aim, Away Game, Hungry Heart, Mamaragan, Personal, $31 Barbaric, Global Quest, Ilovemyself, Prague, Stellar Pauline, $34 Mildred, $51 King’s Legacy, Muntaseera, Rathlin, $61 or better the rest.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.