The Golden Slipper Stakes-bound fillies face off in Saturday’s 2018 Sweet Embrace Stakes, betting tips and updated odds on the Randwick clash found below.
Satin Slipper is the Races.com.au tip to take out the Sweet Embrace Stakes 2018 at Royal Randwick this Saturday in Sydney. Photo: Steve Hart.
Running one race after the colts and geldings do battle in their comparable race – the Skyline Stakes – this year’s Group 2 $200,000 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) field is down to 13 after the early scratching of the rails-drawn Moana Marie.
She was the only unraced final acceptor for the set weights sprint that has proved a nice form line to follow into the Group 1 $3.5 million Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens a fortnight later in recent years.
Co-favourites in Sweet Embrace Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au this Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival at $4.80 are market mover Fiesta and Satin Slipper.
The duo both impressed first-up and are fighting for a spot in the world’s richest race for juveniles on March 24.
Fiesta is a well-bred I Am Invincible filly from the Chris Waller stables and she comes off a lead-up Group 3 Widden Stakes (1100m) win at Rosehill from February 3.
She has been freshened-up since and shapes-up as a winning hope again with Kerrin McEvoy retaining the ride.
Satin Slipper is drawn well and represents Peter & Paul Snowden.
She is bred to win in this class and above being a daughter of 2012 Golden Slipper winner Pierro and is also from a very accomplished stable when it comes to success with two-year-olds.
Satin Slipper saluted in the Listed Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) in late September on debut before returning at Warwick Farm on February 10 finishing second only a neck off the undefeated colt Sandbar in the Listed Lonhro Plate (1100m).
In a big field there are just two other single-figure fancies in the Sweet Embrace Stakes odds with the bookies having a hard time splitting Setsuna ($6.50) and Seabrook ($6.50) who are both drawn wide in barriers nine and 11 respectively.
Six-time Golden Slipper winning trainer Gai Waterhouse is behind Choisir filly Setsuna who returns to racing for the first time since her Group 3 win at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day last November.
Runner-up to Satin Slipper in the Gimcrack Stakes and an Inglis winner at The Valley prior to that, Setsuna trialled well at Rosehill earlier in the month and could show-up a danger fresh this weekend.
Seabrook meanwhile has work to do from her barrier and the Hinchinbrook filly also races in Sydney for the first time on the back of a close third in the Group 2 Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude (1100m) on February 10.
So will the single-figure fancies salute or is there an upset Sweet Embrace Stakes result pending in 2018?
1st
#3 Satin Slipper ($4.80)
Hard to see the top two getting found out here and looks like the bookies have it about spot on. Leading towards Team Snowden’s Pierro filly Satin Slipper who is a black-type winner at the track and will be fitter after her brave second taking on the boys first-up at Warwick Farm. Returns to Randwick and her own kind. If she stays out of trouble from the barrier she’s a fit hope in this from a very nice stable and should be hard to hold out.
2nd
#2 Fiesta ($4.80)
The other best in betting and the punters are coming for Waller’s filly after her Widden Stakes win fresh at Rosehill Gardens. The barrier eight into seven draw looks ideal giving top hoop Kerrin McEvoy, who retains the ride, plenty of options. She’s had two previous Randwick runs for the Gimcrack third and second in the Kirkham behind Legislation in the spring. Will only improve.
3rd
#5 Futooh ($14)
Nice value to fill a placing, this untapped Sebring filly just needs to get away cleanly from the wider barrier. Lindsay Park-trained and comes off a good half-length win over the track / distance in easier company back in early January. Freshened-up since and is one of the few proven over the metres. Jason Collett rides again and the stable deserves respect.
Back our insider Sweet Embrace Stakes 2018 tips and access the best early Golden Slipper odds online now through Ladbrokes.com.au.
