The updated Golden Slipper 2018 betting markets post-barriers are now out with Sunlight and Written By battling for top spot.
Written By is the second favourite in Golden Slipper 2018 betting for Saturday to retain his undefeated status. Photo: Steve Hart.
Both two-year-olds are on the short seven day back-up having won their respective lead-ups at the Rosehill track last Saturday, form the bookies are tipping to stack-up in Saturday’s Group 1 $3.5 million 2018 Longines Golden Slipper (1200m).
Set to run as Rosehill Race 7 at 4:10pm (AEDT), this year’s Golden Slipper field features a capacity line-up and Sunlight and Written By should get gun runs from barriers five and four respectively.
The good gates have seen the in-form duo retain favouritism in Golden Slipper betting at Ladbrokes.com.au with the Tony McEvoy-trained Zoustar filly Sunlight ($4.20) narrowly ahead of Written By ($4.80) from the Grahame Begg stables.
Chasing her sixth win on the trot, Sunlight is looking to add to the nice recent Golden Slipper record of the fillies with three beating home the boys in the past five years including She Will Reign (2017) 12 months ago.
She Will Reign best handled a Heavy (10) track on Golden Slipper Day and there’s a strong chance the season’s top two-year-olds will again face a rain-affected course for the classic this weekend.
Sunlight is yet to win on anything other than Good going, but McEvoy has some confidence she could get through the wet with her very first trial at Cranbourne in September last year won by two lengths on a Heavy (9).
“It’s a bit of an unknown,” McEvoy said of the wet track.
“But good horses handle most things don’t they.
“I’m pretty comfortable. She trialled on a Heavy 9 at Cranbourne…she handled herself very well there.”
Reigning Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes champion Written By meanwhile also has his first official start on Heavy going if the rain comes, but is also a trial winner on a Heavy (8) from December.
The past eight Golden Slipper winners also saluted at single-figures with the last champ to jump at longer than $9 being Phelan Ready ($26 in 2009).
Following Sunlight and Written By in the Golden Slipper odds are three other hopes under $10 including Santos ($8) for six-time winning trainer Gai Waterhouse.
Santos jumps from barrier seven on the weekend with Tim Clark aboard the I Am Invincible colt who was last seen defeating Spin to win the Group 2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) on a Soft (5) Randwick track in early March.
Rounding out the best in betting are the Chris Waller-trained Performer ($8.50) drawn out in barrier 16 and looking to atone after throwing hoop Hugh Bowman from the saddle in the Todman Stakes and Seabrook ($9).
Along with Sunlight, the Mick Price-trained Seabrook is the best fancied of the fillies to beat home the boys in this year’s Golden Slipper results.
Golden Slipper winning jockey from 2007 on Forensics, Damien Oliver partners the well-bred Hinchinbrook filly Seabrook as she backs-up from a March 3 victory in Randwick’s Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m).
See below for the latest Golden Slipper odds 2018 courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
