Golden Slipper Favourite She Will Reign Wins Silver Lead-Up

February 18, 2017

Golden Slipper Favourite She Will Reign Wins Silver Lead-Up

The Golden Slipper Stakes next month back at Rosehill Gardens now looks She Will Reign’s for the taking after the Gary Portelli-trained filly came from last to win the 2017 Silver Slipper Stakes on Saturday.

She Will Reign

She Will Reign is the firm 2017 Golden Slipper Stakes favourite after a last-to-first win in the Silver Slipper at Rosehill. Photo: Steve Hart.

Already leading futures betting for the $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) on March 19 at Ladbrokes.com.au, odds are set to firm on the class daughter of Manhattan Rain who has now won all three of her career starts.

After a blistering 8.3 length win on debut at Kembla Grange on December 10, she backed-up just seven days later to take out the Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Randwick on a Heavy (8) track by four lengths.

First-up on Hobartville Stakes Day, she raced at Rosehill for the first time and things certainly didn’t pan out perfectly for the $20,000 bargain yearling buy.

So relaxed on race day despite the hype, She Will Reign missed the kick and jockey Ben Melham found himself back last in running aboard the odds-on favourite.

“I came here thinking ‘I bet she misses the start today’”,” Portelli admitted post-win.

“She’s just so relaxed, she goes into a bit of a trance or something.

“But we see what she does at track work and we know she’s got a turn of foot.

“There’s plenty of arsenal there.”

The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Mystic Empire then took up front running setting a solid pace in front of the John O’Shea-trained Lonhro Plate winning colt Veranillo.

Knowing full well the little engine he was aboard, Melham kept his cool and didn’t panic at the back aboard She Will Reign who was making up ground.

On the hung up along the fence, She Will Reign picked up her rivals in a flash once on the straight, Melham doing very little on the powerhouse filly.

Quick on the scene she joined the leaders 200m out and headed off the promising Godolphin galloper Veranillo for a barnstorming late win, showing no signs of stopping.

Showtime for Team Hawkes rounded out the Silver Slipper Stakes trifecta in third.

It now looks onwards and upwards for She Will Reign into the Golden Slipper Stakes in a fairy tale result for the owners.

“It was perfect education for her today going forward knowing she can come from last,” Portelli said.

“I think now we’ve got a true chance at a Golden Slipper.

“She’s such a cool, calm, collected filly. She’s just a blessing to us.”

Check out the updated Golden Slipper Stakes 2017 odds post the Silver Slipper results online now on She Will Reign at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost (T&Cs apply).

2017 Silver Slipper Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Rosehill Race 5 – 18/02/2017

Place # Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Br. Wgt. SP
1 5 SHE WILL REIGN Gary Portelli Ben Melham 5 54.5kg $1.35F
2 1 VERANILLO John O’Shea Brenton Avdulla 1.5L 4 56.5kg $9.50
3 3 SHOWTIME Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Tommy Berry 2L 1 56.5kg $26
4 6 LUCKY LOUIE Anthony Cummings Glyn Schofield 4.7L 3 54.5kg $31
5 4 LIGHTZ Jim & Greg Lee Jason Collett 5.4L 6 56.5kg $101
6 7 MYSTIC EMPIRE Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Adam Hyeronimus 5.6L 2 54.5kg $31
7 2 KHAN Peter & Paul Snowden Kerrin McEvoy 6.4L 7 56.5kg $6.50

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