2026 Golden Slipper Day Preview

BELLA KHADIJA is third up and primed to strike on Golden Slipper Day.

She dusted off the cobwebs with a fair effort when beaten just under three lengths at Randwick when resuming last month but turned in an improved performance to finish on the placegetters’ heels in a Provincial Championship Qualifier at Newcastle last time out.

Fitter third-up and in a weaker race, she looks perfectly placed.

I’m going to give ALALCANCE another chance second up from a spell in the NE Manion Cup.

I expected her to be far sharper in the Randwick City Stakes first up this time and while she clearly needed that run to tune up, she is a horse that tends to improve with a hit-out under her belt.

She won this race last year, we know she’ll love getting back out to a mile and a half and at around the $9 mark, we can have something on each way this week.

This is a great edition of the Epona Stakes with plenty of key chances engaged, and I thought that a horse like QUIETNESS looked ideally suited to the conditions.

She was tough from a forward position and with topweight in the Aspiration Quality over a mile a fortnight ago, but Quietness clearly needed that run.

Getting out in trip this week suits, she strips fitter and drops in the weights, and she’s drawn to get her chance again this week under Tommy Berry.

Plenty of classy three-year-old sprinters will take their places in the Darby Munro Stakes field including SKYHOOK, who I’ve got on top.

We haven’t seen Skyhook at the races since November, but he was typically good in strong black type company last time in, winning the Rosebud at this point of his preparation, while ultimately going to the paddock after finishing fifth in the Coolmore.

He’s trialled up nicely, we know he goes well first up from a spell, and I think he can control the race from a forward position under Timmy Clark.

Just six horses will step out in the Ranvet Stakes field including short-priced favourite, AELIANA.

She’s a Group 1 winner in her own right, and Aeliana has returned to the races in typically smart form this time, finishing second behind Autumn Glow in both the Apollo Stakes and the Verry Elleegant Stakes.

That horse would be extremely short in this market were she stepping out in this, Aeliana is fitting of his place on the top line.

In my opinion, there’s one danger and that is SIR DELIUS.

He strips fitter from a credible first up run for third in the Verry Elleegant and will appreciate the rise in trip. It’s a great opportunity for a quinella.

OBSERVER gets another chance at Group 1 glory in the Rosehill Guineas.

He was outstanding through the recent Spring Carnival, capping his campaign with success in the Victoria Derby, and after returning to action with a fine performance to get up again in the Autumn Stakes, Observer added a second Group 1 victory to his CV in the Australian Guineas.

We know he’ll relish the 2000m, he’s open to further improvement and as long as he handles the Sydney way of going, I think he’ll be winning again.

AUTUMN GLOW has opened at George Ryder Stakes odds of $1.30.

She’s unbeaten, she keeps getting better and until she gives me a reason not to be, I’ll be sticking with her.

She’s obviously too short for me at that price, so she’s going to be my winner in a Same Race Multi, and I’m going to pump up my odds with PERICLES and EVAPORATE running into the first four.

Both horses have returned to action in fine form this time, and in my opinion, they are over the odds at quotes of $15 and $21 respectively, at publish.

Same Race Multi selections:

• 8 Autumn Glow (Win)
• 2 Pericles (Top 4)
• 3 Evaporate (Top 4)

We’re set for a particularly intriguing edition of the Slipper with many of the leading fancies drawing wide and at publish, we’re looking at $5.50 the field.

I’m going to have something on two horses in the Golden Slipper field; PARADOXIUM and CLOSER TO FREE.

Paradoxium has only made three appearances at the races so far but stamped himself as one to follow by winning the Wyong Magic Millions race back in December, and he returned to action earlier this month for a bullish victory in the Todman.

He’ll need luck from out wide, but he’s a good horse going around at a great price ($10 at publish).

Closer To Free meanwhile debuted to win the Blue Diamond Prelude C&G and ran a huge race to finish second in the Blue Diamond Stakes.

He’s been kept up to the mark with a trial, Jamie Melham is in Sydney to ride and with luck, they too can be right in the finish.

I’m keen to be with BRIASA first up into The Galaxy.

We haven’t seen Briasa at the races since he finished off the pace in a Russell Balding Stakes in November, but he absolutely flies fresh and won the Group 2 Premiere Stakes at this point of that prep.

With a couple of nice trials under his belt and one eye on the TJ Smith in a couple of weeks, I thought the $6 about him in The Galaxy betting at publish was a great price.

INKARUNA couldn’t have done a lot more without winning the Fireball Stakes when resuming and will take plenty of improvement for that effort.

The I Am Invincible filly turned in plenty of fine efforts throughout her 2025 campaign, winning the Thoroughbred Club Stakes at Caulfield most notably, while finding form around the likes of My Gladiola and Point Barrow.

She gets into this well and has drawn a peach under Timmy Clark, and she my best bet on the card.