2026 Silver Slipper Day Preview

EMBRACE THE WIND chases a hat-trick in the first on Silver Slipper Day.

He’s only made three appearances at the races since debuting, but after a green performance that saw him finish down the order at Randwick on Boxing Day, Embrace The Wind has since recorded consecutive wins in maiden and Class 1 company.

This is harder, but he’s got plenty of upside and gets in well under the conditions.

BARELLO has turned in some decent performances this time in and a Highway race like this one doesn’t look beyond him.

He needed his first run back in November to tune up, but Barello took improvement into an eye-catching win in BM58 company at Murwillumbah before filling the minors at Canterbury last time out.

Given that latest performance was off a freshen up of around 6 weeks, I’m confident it will have brought him right back on.

BEV’S NINE puts her unbeaten record on the line again on Silver Slipper Day.

Having recorded three impressive victories during her debut preparation, Bev’s Nine picked up where she left off with a fine effort to score by more than a length over this route last month.

She does rise in the weights, and this is the hardest task that she’s been set, but I love that she’s been kept up to the mark with a recent trial and she can certainly go on with it.

Happy to stick with STORMLAND under a light weight at Rosehill on Saturday.

Stormland has only made seven appearances at the races, but there’s no doubt that he has returned an improved horse this time in, and he’s yet to finish worse than second in three runs back.

Having won in BM72 company at Canterbury two starts back, he chased Eagle Express hard over 1200m here last time out and just couldn’t quite make up the distance, and getting slightly further out in trip this week does look to suit.

He does require a couple of scratchings to gain a start here, but he’ll be right in the mix if that does happen.

PINITO makes her debut for the Waller yard in this 1400m handicap, and I am confident it will be a positive one.

The Godolphin mare has been a model of consistency in 11 career starts and is yet to miss the placings, winning the Listed Bracelet on the Gold Coast most notably, while we last saw her finishing an agonizingly close second in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks last June.

She’s had the benefit of a couple of trials ahead of her return and has raced well at this point of her preparation previously.

CONFEDERATION only just missed in the Canonbury Stakes on debut, and I think he’ll go one better when he takes his place in the 2026 Silver Slipper field.

The well-bred colt showed promise at the trials prior to debuting and mustered an eye-catching turn of speed behind Hidrix here three weeks ago.

With natural improvement, I think he can turn the tables on that horse and stamp himself as a leading contender for the Golden Slipper by winning.

The Parramatta Cup is frequently a wide-open affair with plenty of winning chances engaged and this year’s edition doesn’t look to be any exception.

TRAVOLTA is one that I think will take nice improvement into the race second up from a spell.

He won some nice races last time in and was sent for a break after winning the Group 3 St Leger at Randwick in October, and I thought that Travolta’s fresh run when fourth, beaten a little over three lengths at Randwick earlier this month had merit.

With natural improvement and getting out in trip, I think he’s really well placed

The Randwick Guineas is just around the corner, and we arrive at the final stop on the traditional path when a classy field of three-year-olds contests the Hobartville.

I thought the fresh performance of WODETON when third, beaten just under three lengths by Tempted in the Eskimo Prince Stakes a fortnight ago warranted another look second up this week.

He’s always hinted at winning in Group 1 company and while that crown does still elude him, there’s no denying the ability of this consistent son of Wootton Basset.

Second up and out to 1400m, I think he’ll be in the finish again.

LAZZURA was scratched from the Triscay Stakes last weekend and will instead launch her autumn prep in the Millie Fox Stakes.

Lazzura picked off some nice races during her Spring Carnival prep last year and was particularly good fresh from a break, winning both the Show County Quality and the Let’s Elope first and second up.

She has been charged with carrying topweight this week, but she’s well and truly earned that, and I think she’s just the best horse in the race.

The resuming TONKIN is the one for me in the last on Silver Slipper Day 2026.

We haven’t seen the daughter of Blue Point in action since October, but in seven trips to the races since debuting, she’s yet to finish worse than second – winning four times.

Having trialled up nicely, she gets into this race well at the weights and has drawn ideally, and I can’t find any real reason why she can’t be in the finish once again.