Star Thoroughbreds owner Denise Martin knows what it is like to have a Golden Slipper winner and she is hoping that she can lift the famous trophy again on Saturday, when Law contests the Group 1 event at Rosehill Gardens.
Denise Martin is chasing her second Golden Slipper with Law in the Group 1 event at Rosehill Gardens this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart
Sebring won the 2008 Golden Slipper for Star Thoroughbreds and Martin is hoping that Law can follow a similar path to victory in this year’s race.
Law has not been seen at the races since he finished fourth behind Mossfun in the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 1, but Martin does not believe that the extended break between runs will be an issue for the Denman colt; pointing out that Sebring had a six week before scoring a narrow win over Von Costa De Hero in the Golden Slipper.
“I don’t think that there is an issue with an extended period non-racing for a horse going into the Slipper,” Martin told Sky Racing HQ this morning.
“Gai decided not to run Sebring for about six weeks prior to his win six years ago and the thinking at the time was that he didn’t need another run and it proved to be a winning formula.
“It wasn’t an issue then and I don’t think it will be an issue on Saturday.
“The colt is good, he looks well and he has trained on nicely.
“I think it is quiet strange that a Breeders Plate winner is 50 or 60 to one.”
Law started his racing career with two wins, taking out the Listed Breeders Plate (1000m) and Adaptra Handicap (1000m), but tired in the final stages of the Silver Slipper Stakes on a wet Rosehill Gardens track.
Martin confirmed that she is hoping that the rain will stay away in the lead-up to the Golden Slipper this weekend, but remains confident that Law can produce a strong run no matter what conditions he faces.
“I guess that is the preferred option for the connections of most runners,” Martin said.
“Many of the babies don’t have exposed form on rain-affected tracks and our fellow is the same.
“We can probably imagine that he is a better colt on top of the ground, but having said that I think that he will run out a very strong 1200.
“The best horse usually wins the Slipper and I think that will be the case on Saturday.”
Law is currently available at odds of $71 to be the 2014 Golden Slipper winner and, like Martin, trainer Gai Waterhouse believes that the two-year-old is over the odds at his current price.
Waterhouse has been happy with the lead-up form of Law and believes that the talented juvenile is an excellent each-way bet at his current 2014 Golden Slipper odds.
“He has ticked every box, he won the Breeders Plate and ran a very solid fourth in the Silver Slipper, which is one of the guiding races to the Slipper.
“I trialed him, he trialed behind Oakleigh Girl, just to get him to really concentrate because he is still a little bit immature.
“He is one of those beautiful colts and he is still not 100 percent there and mentally he is still a bit of a baby.
“He will run a huge race.”
