Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes winner Extreme Choice has been installed the new favourite for the Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 19.
Extreme Choice has been installed the new favourite for the Golden Slipper at Rosehill. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Mick Price trained Extreme Choice was completely dominant in winning the Group 1 $1.5m Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield last Saturday and bookies at Ladbrokes.com.au immediately moved him to the top of the market order at $4.
Extreme Choice leapfrogged the Peter And Paul Snowden trained Capitalist who is now on the second line of betting at $4.50.
Capitalist had been the ruling Golden Slipper favourite since scoring a runaway two and half lengths win in the $2m Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast on January 9.
Price will now set his sights on the Golden Slipper with Extreme Choice and his stablemate and Blue Diamond Stakes runner up Flying Artie could join him on the float to Sydney if connections decide to pay the $150,000 late entry fee to get him into the world’s richest two year old race.
Flying Artie has also been elevated in the Golden Slipper market order and is on the third line of betting at $9.
“They are two good colts,” Price said.
“We have three weeks and probably have to pay a late entry fee for Flying Artie to get into the Slipper.”
“But apart from Capitalist, it is a very even year this year so we have to just construct a plan to get them into Sydney.”
“I saw that little horse (Extreme Choice) when he hit the line like he did, there is no doubt about 1200m and just stamped him as a really really good colt.”
Price said that Extreme Choice had pulled up in great order but Flying Artie had felt the hard run a little bit.
“Extreme Choice pulled up like he hasn’t had a run,” Price reported.
“Flying Artie, being speared off at the top of the straight, I think he felt the run a little bit. It wasn’t as easy a run for him.
“They’ve got three weeks, and they’re two-year-olds right in the fitness zone.
“We don’t have to do a lot with them, just get them to Sydney in one piece and work it out.”
Extreme Choice has already made a successful trip to Sydney and scored on debut in the $500,000 Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Randwick on December 12.
Price then returned to his home track at Caulfield with Extreme Choice to win the Group 3 $150,000 Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) on February 6 before going on to keep his unbeaten record intact with a brilliant win in the Blue Diamond Stakes.
Early Golden Slipper market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4 Extreme Choice, $4.50 Capitalist, $9 Flying Artie, $11 Astern, $13 Honesty Prevails, $17 Good Standing, Scarlet Rain, Weatherly, Yankee Rose, $21 Defcon, $26 Calliope, In the Vangaurd, Souchez, Star Turn, Thyme For Roses, Valliano.
