Sydney-based horseman Chris Waller could be in for a maiden Golden Slipper win this autumn, his promising filly Fiesta favourite in 2018 Widden Stakes betting for the key early lead-up to the March classic.
Jockey Kerrin McEvoy rides Chris Waller’s Golden Slipper contender Fiesta in the Widden Stakes 2018 this weekend. Photo: Daniel Costello.
Waller is eyeing his first success in the lucrative Group 1 $3.5 million Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 24 and one of his key contenders is I Am Invincible filly Fiesta.
She races on Saturday at the Rosehill Gardens track first-up in the Group 3 $150,000 Widden Stakes (1100m) and dominates the markets at Ladbrokes.com.au paying a firming $3.20 to salute.
Fiesta also sits at $34 in futures Golden Slipper odds, a price sure to firm if she can get the job done for the punters in her autumn kick-off.
On debut last September she finished a brave third to Satin Slipper in the Listed Gimcrack Stakes (1000m), while her subsequent run that October over 1000m produced a second to Legislation.
Drawn gate four of 12 in the Widden Stakes field with Kerrin McEvoy booked for the ride, Fiesta has had two lead-up summer trials including a 900m Rosehill winning heat on January 22.
Occupying the second line of Widden Stakes betting at $6 is the widely-drawn but well-tried Secret Lady with gate 12 to overcome.
Saturday marks the fifth career run for the daughter of Choisir who is trained by last year’s Golden Slipper Stakes winning horseman Gary Portelli.
Portelli prepared She Will Reign (2017) for the Slipper success last autumn and hopes Secret Lady can make the cut 12 months on.
A winner of one of her four starts to date, the promising juvenile saluted at Rosehill in the Golden Gift last November and has raced twice since.
Her latest start was at the Gold Coast on January 13 when finishing five lengths back fifth to current Golden Slipper Stakes favourite Sunlight in the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m).
There are two other single-figure fancies in the Widden Stakes markets this autumn with Bold Arial ($6.50) and Into The Abyss ($8.50) considered as the dangers by the bookies.
Prepared by master Golden Slipper trainer Gai Waterhouse, Bold Arial has her second career start and is out to atone for the 10th in the Gimcrack Stakes during the spring.
While Bold Arial should get a gun run from barrier two, the John Thompson-trained Into The Abyss has plenty of early work to do in the set weights plus penalties clash from the outside alley (13).
Glyn Schofield rides the daughter of Foxwedge who is out to retain her undefeated status following a successful debut at Royal Randwick on Boxing Day over 1000m.
Check out the latest Widden Stakes 2018 betting markets and early Golden Slipper odds online this autumn through Ladbrokes.com.au.
