G1 Golden Slipper start in the balance for Gongs

It is regarded as the race that shapes the thoroughbred breed in Australia – and Godolphin will be in there attempting to play a part in that quest with Gongs in the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday, 24 March.

Gongs (Tye Angland) is among the emergency acceptors for the $3.5 million race, the world’s richest event for two-year-olds and if she gains a start, the stable believes she can make her presence felt.

“She’s not without a chance in the Slipper but definitely looks like the sort of horse who would be effective over a bit more ground in a race like the Percy Sykes in a few weeks’ time,” said trainer James Cummings.

The daughter of Dawn Approach was impressive in wins at her first two starts, the first of them at Canterbury and the next at Rosehill.

After her second win, Cummings turned her out and she resumed with a third placing behind the leading Golden Slipper prospects Sunlight and Estijaab at Rosehill before finishing fourth to Estijaab in the G2 Reisling Stakes at Randwick.

“She’s improved since the Reisling and if she was to get a start in the Slipper she just might be an each-way chance,” Cummings said.

Sunlight shapes as the form runner in the Golden Slipper with wins at her past five starts, including the $2 million Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic, to recommend her.

The leading prospect among the males is G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Written By who followed that success with victory in last week’s G3 Pago Pago Stakes.

Cummings had contemplated running his G3 Black Opal Stakes winner Encryption in the Slipper but is now likely to wait for the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes, the second leg of the autumn two-year-old Triple Crown.

“We just felt that it was going to be too quick a back up for him at this level, particularly with his pedigree which suggests he’d be effective from seven furlongs to a mile,” Cummings said.

“He would have run a really nice race, but in his best interests we’ve decided to hang back and wait for the Sires’ Produce.”