Widden Stud’s record in Group 1 races has stood the test of time and its affinity with the Golden Slipper Stakes is unrivalled.  The historic nursery has been home to Golden Slipper greats Todman, Vain and Marscay and its current roster boasts recent winners Stratum and Sebring.

The Widden brigade will be back at Rosehill for this year’s Golden Slipper with front-line fillies Military Rose (General Nedym) and Crystal Lily (Stratum).  

Widden owner Anthony Thompson wouldn’t swap places with any other studmaster going into the Golden Slipper, however, the other industry heavyweights cannot be ignored.

All 15 Golden Slipper starters are by sires based in the Hunter Valley.  Arrowfield has a full house with Chance Bye (Snitzel), Solar Charged (Charge Forward), Beneteau (Redoute’s Choice), Shaaheq (Redoute’s Choice) and Georgette Silk (Flying Spur).

Vinery stallion More Than Ready has sired the last two Golden Slipper winners and he will be represented by Brightexpectations and More Strawberries.
Coolmore’s in-form sire Fastnet Rock has Elimbari and Hinchinbrook engaged in addition to Carved In Stone (Rock Of Gibraltar) and Lohan (Choisir).

The field is rounded out by Darley’s Lonhro filly Obsequious and Black Opal winner Decision Time who is by Yarraman sire Foreplay.

Military Rose shot to favouritism for the $3.5 million Golden Slipper Stakes after a dominant victory in the Reisling Stakes at Rosehill on March 20.  The Gold Coast filly was racing first-up since a runaway success in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January.

Military Rose (2f General Nediym – Bella Maddelena by Flying Spur) will become the first filly in history to complete the Magic Millions – Golden Slipper double if she’s successful at Rosehill on April 3.  Dance Hero (2004) and Phelan Ready (2009) claimed the Magic Millions – Golden Slipper double but they were both geldings.

General Nediym stood in Queensland and Victoria before finally settling down in the Widden Valley.  The 2010 Golden Slipper favourite is the headline act among his 115 foals born in the spring of 2007.  

The General had two more crops at Widden before his death on Australia Day last year.  His precocious fillies I Got Chills and Paprika were also pre-post favourites for the Golden Slipper before falling by the wayside.  But Military Rose looks the real deal.  She was a $155,000 buy at the 2009 Gold Coast Magic Millions yearling sale and trainer Gillian Heinrich reckons there’s more improvement to come out of the Reisling.

“We always knew she was pretty good.  She can lead, get back or sit off the speed,” Heinrich said.  “It’s nice to have a filly like that in the big races.”

Stratum filly Crystal Lily staked her claim for the Golden Slipper with a dominant victory in the G3 AJC Sweet Embrace Stakes at Randwick on March 6.
Crystal Lily (2f Stratum – Crystal Snip by Snippets) is a Contract Racing homebred and earned her ticket to Sydney with a runaway five length victory in the Listed Chairman’s Stakes at Caulfield on February 27.

“I was apprehensive travelling up here because she can be a bit volatile,” trainer Mat Ellerton said.  “But she’s not one dimensional and the Randwick win was really impressive.”

Her sire Stratum (Redoute’s Choice) was purchased by Paul Perry at the Gold Coast Magic Millions for $320,000.  He won the 2005 Golden Slipper and $2.24 million in prizemoney before retiring to Widden.  He has sired 8 first crop winners so far this season.