3 minute read

Timeform recap the 2021 Golden Slipper won by Stay Inside.

The Golden Slipper in my eyes is one of the best races we have in Australia.

There is nowhere to hide no dodging one another and we see the best race the best — it is one of racing's true grand finals.

The main lead ups are the same every year the form is there for all to see and it all comes together at Rosehill in March over 1200m (for the last eight years anyway).

Sure there is still the Sires' and the Champagne to come, but this is it, this is the pinnacle.

It usually takes just over 70 seconds to crown the best of their generation and this year the award went to the Richard and Michael Freedman trained Stay Inside.

The first success in the Golden Slipper for the Freedman family since 1996 and their second Group 1 victory as a partnership having only recently collected their first with Forbidden Love in the Surround Stakes [1400m].

Lee Freedman famously won four Golden Slippers in a row between 1993 and 1996.

Tommy Berry is now a three-time Golden Slipper-winning jockey and is only one win away from equalling champion hoops Shane Dye and Ron Quinton.

While Saturday's ride wasn't as easy as Overreach in 2013, Berry would have been supremely confident a long way out.

Tracking his stablemate Glistening in the one-one Berry wasted little time getting off her back, making his move before the turn.

Still under a decent hold Stay Inside ambled up to Profiteer before he cut loose inside the 300m.

Hitting the front shortly after Stay Inside raced away to score by a length and three-quarters (the same winning margin as Overreach in 2013).

Rated 122 by Timeform he equals the mark of recent winners Farnan, Capitalist and Vancouver.

Sepoy and Dance Hero  remain the highest rated Slipper winners of the modern era on 124.

It is worth noting Pierro was rated 123 for his Slipper win but finished his juvenile campaign rated 127 after completing the Triple Crown.

Once again we saw the boys dominate the girls filling eight of the first nine placings across the line (Four Moves Ahead ran 4th).

It was the first time since 1999 that a filly hadn't finished in the first three, during that period they have run 1-2-3 (or better) four times.

Add to that, the first five home in the Diamond were colts, the first time that has happened since 99.

Enthaar and Four Moves Ahead would be considered the top of the tree and in their respective Group 1 assignments they were beaten 17 and 19 pounds.

The Chris Waller trained She's All Class finished third in the Magic Millions where she was beaten 15 pounds by Shaquero.

There is no escaping it - this group of fillies is slow.

As we do every season we have to draw a line in the sand but the fillies have plenty of catching up to do at three.