Jockey Blake Shinn was very impressed with English’s win in the Reisling Stakes in the lead up to the Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Blake Shinn and English combined to win the Reisling Stakes, above, in the lead up to the Golden Slipper at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Gai Waterhouse trained English made it two wins from two starts when Shinn steered her to a three quarters of a length win in the Group 2 $300,000 Guinness Reisling Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on March 7.
“I was very impressed with her Reisling win,” Shinn wrote in is blog today.
“The time wasn’t comparable to Vancouver’s race that day, but the manner in which she won really impressed me.”
English ran 1.10.19 for the 1200m in winning the Reisling Stakes while her stable mate and Golden Slipper favourite Vancouver clocked 1.8.83 in winning the Group 2 $300,000 UNSW Todman Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on the same day.
Shinn feels that English will improve on her last start win and is banking that Waterhouse has the Encosta De Lago filly ready to peak on Golden Slipper Day.
“She has a real sense of timing about her coming into this. The Reisling is always a good lead-up race for the Slipper,” Shinn said.
“Riding for Gai in a Golden Slipper gives you such an extra boost of confidence.”
Shinn was over the moon when English came up with a favourable barrier draw on Tuesday and the filly will likely jump from gate five with the second emergency Racy drawing barrier four.
“There have been plenty of winners and placegetters come through the Reisling. I was ecstatic when she came up with barrier six,” Shinn said.
“She’ll come into five if the emergencies don’t get a run. Barrier five is a great gate statistically in the Slipper. I hope to have her midfield and give her every chance from there.”
Latest Golden Slipper market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.10 Vancouver, $4 Exosphere, $12 Headwater, $13 Ready For Victory, $14 Furnaces $16 Haptic, $17 English, $18 Lake Geneva, $31 Speak Fondly, Ottoman, $41 Fireworks, Reemah, $61 Single Gaze, Haybah, $71 Odyssey Moon $101 Serenade, $151 Racy, $301 Heavenly Hand.
