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The Australian Turf Club has received a record number of second acceptances for the $3.5 million Longines Golden Slipper to be run at Rosehill in March.
The iconic 2YO race headlines Australia’s biggest day of Group 1 racing on March 23.
The 384 second acceptances is a seven per cent jump on last year’s previous high of 358, and continues four years of growth from 304 second nominations in 2016 for the world’s richest race for two year olds.
The highest number of acceptances for 2019 come from Snowden Racing (40), David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig (33), Godolphin’s James Cummings (31), Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott (25), Tony McEvoy (22), and Hawkes Racing (17).
Other leading Sydney trainers with second acceptances include Chris Waller (13), John O’Shea (10), Gerald Ryan (7) and Mark Newnham (6).
Sires with the highest numbers include I Am Invincible (41), Snitzel (34), Fastnet Rock and Not A Single Doubt (22) and Exceed and Excel (18).
A total of 195 colts and geldings and 189 fillies remain in contention.
Australian Turf Club Executive General Manager of Racing Services and Membership James Heddo said: “We are thrilled with the continued increase in second acceptance numbers for the Longines Golden Slipper, the race every owner, trainer and jockey first dreams of winning.
“The Australian Turf Club continues to work very hard to keep the Longines Golden Slipper on the pedestal it deserves as the race that shapes the Australian racing and breeding industry like nowhere else in the world.
“With the Longines Golden Slipper being one of five Group One races on 23 March including the anticipated appearance of Winx in The Agency George Ryder Stakes, Rosehill Gardens will again be the focus of the racing world.”
This Saturday at Rosehill Gardens marks seven weeks until the Longines Golden Slipper, with a full pathway of two year old races, starting with the running of the Widden Stakes for fillies and Canonbury Stakes for colts.
Other key two year old races include the Darley Lonhro Plate and Inglis Millennium at Warwick Farm (9 February), Hurun Report Pierro Plate (Royal Randwick 16 February), Silver Slipper Stakes at Rosehill Gardens (23 February), and the Liberty International Underwriters Sweet Embrace Stakes for fillies and Schweppes Skyline Stakes for colts (2 March at Royal Randwick).
Crucial final lead-up races will be the Reisling Stakes for fillies and UNSW Todman Stakes for colts at Royal Randwick on 9 March and Magic Night Stakes (fillies) and Bowermans Office Furniture Pago Pago Stakes (colts) at Rosehill Gardens on 16 March.
