Scandiva won’t line up in the Golden Slipper

Saturday’s Magic Night Stakes winner Scandiva won’t line in the Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

scandiva

Scandiva winning the Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill, but will miss the Golden Slipper. Photo by Steve Hart.

Trainer Anthony Cummings had originally indicated that connections would pay the $150,000 last entry fee for Scandiva after the filly took out the Group 2 $175,000 Parramatta Leagues Club Magic Night Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday, a ballot exempt race for the Golden Slipper.

But after consideration overnight, Cummings will instead aim the Fastnet Rock filly towards the Group 1 $500,000 ATC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick the following week.

Cummings has a high opinion of his improving filly and as well as wining at Rosehill takes a good form line through Villa Verde after running fifth to the Victorian filly in the Spring, with Golden Slipper favourite Overreach finishing second in the same race.

Cummings also has a high opinion of the Gai Waterhouse trained Overreach and rates the Exceed And Excel filly the one to beat.

“I think these fillies are coming on and improving while Overreach reached a very high standard very quickly,” Cummings said.

“She’s got form around Villa Verde and I think that’s the best form so far,” Cummings said.

“She had to work hard to get over from her wide gate and showed improvement from her last start and hopefully she takes the next step.”

With Scandiva not to run and the Queensland two year old Whiskey Allround out of calculations, Hong Kong based jockey Tim Clark has been booked to ride longshot Va Pensiero for trainer Jason Coyle who is now likely to gain a start.

Overreach remains the short priced $2.20 favourite for the Golden Slipper while the Peter Snowden trained Sidestep has been promoted to $9 second pick after an impressive win in the Group 2 $175,000 Bowermans Office Furniture Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

Snowden was impressed with the colts winning effort  but wasn’t willing to confirm a Golden Slipper start after the Group 2 win on Saturday.

The Peter Moody trained Il Cavallo might be struggling to make the final field of sixteen after connections paid the $150,000 late entry fee.

The Choisir colt stacked his claim for a Golden Slipper start with a scintillating debut at Sandown last Wednesday when a three and three quarter lengths winner in a sizzling 49.3s for the 900m.

Il Cavallo is a $15 chance while New Zealand filly Ruud Awakening has been listed a $10 chance with Craig Williams to ride.

Trainer Stephen March had to wait until after last Saturday’s Rosehill meeting to secure Williams who was on Assail but after the Clarry Connors trained filly failed to qualify for the Golden Slipper after finishing seventh to Scandiva in the Magic Night Stakes, Williams was booked.

“I was always confident Craig would ride her,” Marsh said.

“He just had to fulfil his other engagements. It’s great to have him back aboard.”

Williams is no stranger to Ruud Awakening and was aboard the filly taking out the Listed NZ$550,000 Karaka Million (1200m) at Ellerslie in January.

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.