March 17, 2015Newhaven Park to Cheer Slipper Runners
March 17 – At the Golden Slipper barrier draw on Tuesday morning, Charles Kelly walked away from the stage a happy man after drawing gate six for the Newhaven Park homebred filly English.
Prepared by Gai Waterhouse, English flew under the radar with a dominant debut win at Kembla on January 31, but left nobody in any doubt as to her quality when overpowering a slick field to win the Group II Reisling Stakes Stakes at Randwick two weeks ago.
On that occasion, she put paid to two of the other leading female contenders in Ottoman and Fireworks, who were forced to settle for second and third.
Blake Shinn is sticking with the filly, who will seek to give recently retired champion sire Encosta de Lago his first win in the race.
Encosta de Lago has had three previous Slipper place-getters in Alinghi, Von Costa de Hero and Manhattan Rain, so a winner in this race would provide a fitting finale for what’s been a wonderful stud career.
English is a half-sister to promising winner Puzzle and is the second foal from dual Group II winning Anabaa (USA) mare Court, who was also bred by Newhaven Park as was her mother Splish and comes from the family of outstanding racehorse and sire Grand Lodge (USA).
Her dam Court missed in 2013 so had no foal in 2014, but was covered by champion sire Redoute’s Choice last year.
Considered by the Kelly family as a special filly from the day she was sent to Tulloch Lodge, English now has a chance to write the latest chapter of Golden Slipper success for Newhaven Park.
The Kelly family owned Newhaven Park have bred four past winners in John’s Hope, Vivarchi, Burst and Prowl, while the Booroowa based farm has also been home to past Slipper winners Marauding, Tierce and Luskin Star, who retired there to stud.
The farm’s legendary stallion Wilkes (Fr) sired not only John’s Hope and Vivarchi, but also Vain, thought by many to be the greatest ever winner of the Slipper.
“We’re incredibly proud of our past successes in the Golden Slipper,” said John Kelly.
“It’s a unique race that has shaped the Australian breeding industry and our role in its history is the source of much pride and satisfaction to our family.”
English is not the only Newhaven Park bred runner in the race with the Gary Portelli trained Exceed and Excel filly Racy (from Saucy Nell), a second emergency for the race that has drawn favourably in gate four if she secures a start.
A brilliant winner on debut last December beating another Slipper runner in Look to the Stars, Racy tuned up for this assignment with a last start seventh to Always Allison in the Group II ATC Sweet Embrace Stakes at her first run since the Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Click here to see the Newhaven Park draft for the 2015 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.