Sydney, March 17 – The Group Two STC Silver Slipper Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday unearthed a new Golden Slipper favourite with victory going to boom Redoute’s Choice filly Amelia’s Dream, a $250,000 Magic Millions purchase from the draft of Yarraman Park Stud – but a short time later Golden Slipper plans were left in tatters when it was revealed the filly had broken down.
A scintillating nine length winner at Canterbury when making her debut on February 28, the Gai Waterhouse trained Amelia’s Dream has been at the centre of Golden Slipper speculation since then and confirmed her standing with a breathtaking performance.
Driven straight to the lead by Nash Rawiller from barrier one, Amelia’s Dream quickly burnt off her rivals and then idled on cruise control until well into the straight where she changed gear and waved them all goodbye.
She scored officially by a tick over six lengths over the 1100 metres in the sizzling time of 1:02.90 with smart Victorian filly Hips Don’t Lie in second place just ahead of Glowlamp.
“Awesome filly, awesome jockey, awesome trainer!” quipped a delighted Gai Waterhouse.
“I told him (Nash) to be aggressive and drive her from the barriers, once you get to the lead you’ll be a laydown misere.”
And that’s exactly how it was for the filly who is owned outright by merchant banker Richard Pegum.
“I’ve always had so much confidence in this filly from the first time I jumped her out and she showed that today. Only bad luck was going to beat her,” said Rawiller.
A short time after the win, Chief Steward Ray Murrihy fronted the media with a shock announcement.
“Regretfully I have to report Amelia’s Dream has pulled up lame in the near foreleg,” said Ray Murrihy.
The filly was heavily bandaged and left the course heading for the Randwick Equine Centre where tests were later carried out revealing a fracture of the sesamoid that will end her current preparation.
Bred by Hilton Cope and partners, Amelia’s Dream is the fifth foal of the former very good racemare Shalt Not, a Listed winner of four races and $827,335 in prizemoney.
Already the dam of smart winners Doubtful Choice and Ravishing Choice, she is a half-sister to the dam of Group One winner Grand Zulu.
The current yearling from Shalt Not, a colt by Exceed and Excel, was foaled and raised at Yarraman Park and fetched $160,000 to the bid of Mike Moroney when offered at the 2008 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale by Phoenix Broodmare Farm as agent.
Shalt Not produced a filly by Fastnet Rock last spring and was covered by Testa Rossa.
Amelia’s Dream (photo courtesy of Mark Smith) becomes the 39th stakes-winner for Redoute’s Choice, who had been looking for a big gun to replace the recently retired Miss Finland and in this exciting filly he may well have had it and sadly lost it.