Tommy Berry and Mossfun, with his impressive finishing sprint, will be hard to beat in the Silver Slipper. Picture: Simon Bullard Source: Simon Bullard / News Limited
SILVER SLIPPER (1200m), ROSEHILL GARDENS SATURDAY
1 131111 UNENCUMBERED Bjorn Baker Nathan Berry 2 56.5kg
2 1x1 LAW Gai Waterhouse Nash Rawiller 3 56.5kg
3 1x RISEN FROM DOUBT Tony McEvoy Hugh Bowman 6 56.5kg
4 112 MODOC Paul Perry Blake Shinn 5 56.5kg
5 2 HAMPTON COURT Gai Waterhouse Tommy Berry 4 56.5kg
6 1x1 MOSSFUN Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes James McDonald 7 54.5kg
7 2x PRESS REPORT Lee Curtis Glyn Schofield 1 54.5kg
Jockey Nathan Berry and Unencumbered are chasing the Magic Millions-Silver Slipper double. Picture: Adam Head Source: News Limited
HISTORY
Silver Slipper-Golden Slipper: Eskimo Prince (1964), Baguette (1970), Luskin Star (1977), Pierro (2012)
Magic Millions- Silver Slipper: Nil
Saturday: Unencumbered
Breeders Plate-Silver Slipper: Eskimo Prince (1963), Peace Council (1964), Baguette (1969), Regal Gauntlet (1970), Sovereign Slipper (1971), Jewel Thief (1972), Luskin Star (1976), pre Catalan (1985), Show County (1988), Clang (1995), Pierro (2012)
Saturday: Law
Widden Stakes-Silver Slipper: Topmost (1967), Rainbeam (1975), Triscay (1989), Satin Shoes (2011)
Saturday: Mossfun
THE TRAINERS
Hall of Famers John Hawkes and Gai Waterhouse share the training record in the Silver Slipper with five wins each. Hawkes has won the race with Strategic (1994), Clang (1995), Domesday (2005), Plagiarize (2006) and Shaft (2007).
Waterhouse has prepared Excellerator (2001), Hasna (2003), Amelia's Dream (2008), Pierro (2012) and Sweet Idea (2013) to Silver Slipper success. Both trainers have the opportunity to improve their race record on Saturday with Team Hawkes saddling up Mossfun while Waterhouse has entered Law and Hampton Court.
Gai Waterhouse, trainer of Law, has won the Silver Slipper a record-equalling five times. Picture: Simon Bullard Source: News Limited
THE JOCKEYS
Nash Rawiller (Law) and Hugh Bowman (Risen From Doubt) are the only jockeys riding in Saturday's race to have won it previously.
Rawiller is a two-time Silver Slipper winner on the freakish Amelia's Dream (2008) and champion colt Pierro (2012). Bowman rode Satin Shoes to win three years ago.
Darren Beadman, the retired riding legend, has the race record with five wins on Honey Be Quick (1990), Strategic (1994), Domesday (2005), Plagiarize (2006) and Shaft (2007).
Law's jockey Nash Rawiller has won the Silver Slipper on Amelia's Dream (2008) and Pierro (2012) previously. Picture: Simon Bullard Source: News Limited
THE DISTANCE
Modoc and Mossfun are the only runners to have won over 1100m. Modoc won by nearly seven lengths at Scone while Mossfun scored over the Rosehill 1100m in the Widden Stakes. Unencumbered and Hampton Court have been placed over the trip.
THE SPECIALIST
Mossfun is the only Silver Slipper runner to have won over the course and distance, Unencumbered's only defeat in his six-start career was over the Rosehill 1100m when third to Bold Circle back in the spring.
THE SPEED MAP
The small seven-horse field for the Silver Slipper does not have a designated leader. Law led throughout to win the Breeders Plate but it was significant he was ridden off the speed when he scored first-up at Randwick earlier this month.
Law may end up leading by default although I expect his stablemate Hampton Court to also settle up on the speed. One thing is for certain — Amelia's Dream's race record of 1m 2.9s set in her brilliant 2008 win is not in danger.
Law, ridden by Nash Rawiller, is likely to be up on the speed in the Silver Slipper. Source: News Limited
THE FAVOURITES
This has been a good race for favourites with seven winning in the last 20 years — Strategic (4/7, 1994), Iglesia (13/8, 1998), Excellerator ($2, 2001), Hasna ($2.50, 2003), Amelia's Dream ($1.40, 2008) and Chance Bye ($1.75, 2010). Since 2000, the only winner to start at double-figure odds was first starter Shaft at $13 in 2007.
THE MAJOR LEAD-UP RACES
MAGIC MILLIONS, JANUARY 14
Unencumbered scored his fourth win on end and his fifth from just six starts when he finishing strongly to win the Magic Millions from Oakleigh Girl.
This colt continued to improve with racing over summer and he was dominant at the Gold Coast.
Nathan Berry leads Unencumbered to victory in the Magic Millions at the Gold Coast. Picture: Richard Gosling Source: News Limited
WIDDEN STAKES, FEBRUARY 15
Mossfun settled in behind the leaders then showed good acceleration to dash clear and score a soft win in the Widden Stakes two weeks ago.
She was strong to the line to score with authority at her first run in two months. She will strip fitter again for tomorrow's race.
AND THE BIG RACE VERDICT IS ...
Fillies have dominated the Silver Slipper in the modern era, winning 10 of the last 14 renewals, and I favour Mossfun to continue that trend on Saturday.
Unbeaten in two starts, she was impressive winning the Widden Stakes two weeks ago and she does have race fitness on her side. Mossfun has good tactical speed, relaxes well in her races and has an impressive finishing sprint.
Unencumbered has won five of his six starts including the Magic Millions six weeks ago. He hasn't raced since his Gold Coast win and goes into this race without a barrier trial.
However, he is a very talented juvenile, genuine and tough, and rates as one of the hardest to beat.
Risen From Doubt was in impressive winner of the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes at Flemington last spring. Picture: Michael Klein Source: News Limited
How good is Risen From Doubt? He has raced just once, winning the Maribyrnong Trial easily last spring but the form from that race has been franked with the runner-up from that race, Jabali finishing second to Earthquake in the Blue Diamond last week.
Risen From Doubt won a trial at Wyong recently and is a great chance. Law was impressive at Randwick first-up and will only improve. A strong colt with a very good turn of foot.
RAY'S TIPS
1 MOSSFUN
2 Unencumbered
3 Risen From Doubt
4 Law
Best roughie: Press Report