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The dream is alive for back-to-back Golden Slippers for trainers Richard and Michael Freedman after their filly Queen Of The Ball sprung into contention with a dashing all the way win in the Group 3 $160,000 Widden Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill.
After raising the Slipper trophy with Stay Inside a year ago, Michael Freedman said the cupboard was looking a little bare not that long ago but now has a spring in his step about Queen Of The Ball.
The Golden Slipper picture had its big first shake up seven weeks out from the $5 million race with Queen Of The Ball and Canonbury winner Best Of Bordeaux knocking over short priced favourites and landing on the $15 line with TAB behind favourite Coolangatta.
The I Am Invincible filly stopped the clock 0.38 seconds faster than the boys, after Best Of Bordeaux also led throughout, in a performance that impressed Freedman.
"We were thinking a couple of weeks ago we might be a little light on for a Slipper horse,'' he said.
"But I'd say on the back of that you'd have to be thinking she's somewhere in the mix.
"She's such a professional filly and a real natural two-year-old."
Rachel King wasted no time in taking the filly to the lead, buoyed by riding her in work during the week, and she ran out a 3-3/4 length winner over the fast finishing Revolutionary Miss with a length to Pantonario in third.
Favourite Ebhaar didn't make an impact and weakened to finish second last.
Freedman said once she found the lead and travelled so well he was confident she would finish off, though feels she still has a bit to learn after wanting to run around a bit in the straight as she did on debut when run down by Ojai.
"We were a little bit worried about the outside gate and having to use her a bit too much but I said to Rachel if she began well to use the speed we know she's got,'' he said.
"Rachel galloped her for me during the week and came in quite confident she would at least run very well.
"She has obviously run right up to that today and hopefully if she can just improve a little bit off the back of that, she might be in the Slipper mix yet."
The dust will be allowed to settle on Saturday's win before the Freedmans decide which Golden Slipper path to take.
It's possible she could return to Rosehill for the Group 2 Silver Slipper (1100m) on February 19 or be given more time and wait until the Group 2 Sweet Embrace (1200m) at Randwick a week later or Group 2 Reisling Stakes (1200m) on March 5.
The Group 3 $160,000 Fujitsu General Canonbury Stakes (1100m) was meant to be all about $1.4m colt Great Barrier Reef but he could only manage fourth of five behind Queensland colt Best Of Bordeaux who was $101 for the Slipper prior to the race.
Trainer Kacy Fogden said she's entitled to head that way now with the Snitzel colt after taking a punt on his ability by sending him to Sydney to make his debut.
"I think so now (about the Slipper). I think Sam (Clipperton) rode him perfectly but in saying that, he was full of running the whole time,'' she said.
"That was a bit exciting. I was a little bit worried there for a little bit. I thought he might have been over-racing but he kept true to the task and stuck on nicely.
"He travelled down to Gerald (Ryan's) last week and he has just settled in so well. He is quite a gentleman really, I was really pleased with him today."
Jockey James McDonald said beaten favourite Great Barrier Reef raced like a very immature horse.
Vancouver (2015) is the last Canonbury winner to take out the Slipper while Mossfun (2014) is the last Widden Stakes victor to claim the Slipper trophy.
