NEWS

Entries for the $5 million race on 21 March 2026 closed earlier this week and the progeny of 150 sires are represented.

Leading the way in terms of nominators is Yulong with 115, while the Waterhouse and Bott stable has 107, Godolphin 95, Chris Waller 94 and Ciaron Maher 91.

The $3 million Home Affairs colt out of Shout The Bar, the sale-topper at the 2025 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, is among the nominees, as is the most expensive colt from the Magic Millions sale, the Snitzel ex Humma Humma purchased for $2.8 million.

All in all, 35 of the 38 million-dollar yearlings sold in Australia in 2025 are in the Slipper nominations.

Missing from the nominations is Lila La La, the $3.2 million Home Affairs ex Sunlight filly who topped the Magic Millions January sale and is now residing in Japan.

Leading syndicator Straight Six Racing is excited to have two horses nominated for the Golden Slipper – a Home Affairs ex Royal Missile colt and a Pinatubo ex Glamorous Miss filly. The company’s director Michael Ward said “Aside from the Everest, the Golden Slipper is the next most coveted race that every new racehorse owner dreams of winning. March 2026 may still seem a while away, but all of the owners with a rising 2YO will be having pleasant dreams until then”.

Source: The Straight, Straight Six Racing

The winner of seven races from his fifteen career starts, highlighted by a win in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate where he defeated Takeover Target, Snitzel retired with prizemoney of $1,026,550. However, it was in the breeding barn where he really packed a punch. Snitzel commenced his stud duties off a modest service fee of $33,000. Initially a slow burn, Snitzel soon began to hit his straps with 14 black type winners emerging from his third crop and after that he was away. By the time of his passing he was regarded as one of the truly great Australian stallions, boasting a stakes winners-to-runners ratio of 10.4% which included three Golden Slipper winners, Estijaab, Shinzo and the 2025 winner Marhoona. He was the sire of 160 individual stakes winners which allowed him to command a career-high service fee of $247,500 in 2024. This level of success translated into sales ring riches for those who were astute enough to support him. The 2025 yearling sales season saw his progeny average $656,889, the highest of his entire career. He will still have another couple of crops to make their way through the sales ring and with their numbers now limited, we anticipate some further eye-watering results to come.

Straight Six Racing’s Michael Ward reminisced, “My brother and I were one of the earliest supporters of Snitzel, at a time when he was somewhat less fashionable. As a result, we were also significant beneficiaries of his success”. The pair purchased and syndicated amongst their clients twelve of his progeny over the years for a combined cost of $1,064,000, or an average of $88,667. Those twelve horses, which included Redzel, Hot Snitzel and Flying Snitzel, went on to win a combined $19,309,585 in prizemoney. This figure represented a remarkable 7.1% of Snitzel’s entire progeny’s earnings of $273 million to date. Michael said, “It is clear for all to see the impact that Snitzel has had on the thoroughbred racing and breeding industry, and I’m just so pleased that our paths crossed so early”.

The first mare through the ring was Miss Hellfire, a modest $60,000 purchase from the yearling draft of breeding behemoth Newgate Farm. Miss Hellfire went on to win over $650,000 on the racetrack, with her highlight being a Group 2 placing in the ATC Sapphire Stakes. Then yesterday after some spirited bidding, the gavel came down and Miss Hellfire had sold back to Newgate Farm for $640,000. That meant a combined return of over $1,290,000, which was 21.5 times her purchase price!

Next through the sales ring was the queen, Revolutionary Miss, a $195,000 purchase from the draft of Sledmere Stud. Bought during Covid, this mare was an absolute superstar, winning the Goup 2 Blue Diamond Prelude for fillies before finishing an unlucky 2nd by a nose in the Group 1 Blue Diamond after being bumped wide on the turn. She then built on that form by finishing 2nd in the time-honoured Group 1 Thousand Guineas in her 3YO year. Revolutionary Miss then went on to win further Group races as a 4YO and 5YO. Simply, an extraordinary mare. Going through the Magic Millions Broodmare Sale as Lot 466, the auction ring was in silence as an online bidding duel played out. In the end, it was Katsumi Yoshida from Japan that won out with a final bid of $1,600,000. With career prizemoney of $1,812,830 and memories to last a lifetime, the total return to her owners after yesterday’s sale was over $3,400,000. This represented 17.5 times her purchase price.

The final mare through the ring was Aemelius, a 3YO filly by Hellbent, purchased as a yearling for $130,000. Aemelius promised so much on the track, winning at Randwick at her 2nd career start, defeating Swiftfalcon and Pisces. She then finished 2nd in the Listed Phoenix Stakes at her third start, prior to running in the Group 1 JJ Atkins. This unfortunately turned out to be her final race after suffering an injury away from the track. Aemelius won $151,200 from only 4 career starts and when added to today’s sale price of $340,000, she returned a combined total of $491,200 to her owners.

Straight Six Racing’s Michael Ward said, “I’m absolutely ecstatic for the owners. We fell in love with each of the mares the moment we laid eyes on them. To see them realise the potential we saw in them and deliver outstanding outcomes for their owners is very satisfying”.

Among the last to begin, Sunshine In Paris ($3.20f TABtouch) found herself fourth from the back initially as Mazu ($11) and Schwarz ($12) poured on the pressure upfront.

With the track rated a Heavy 8, it was no disadvantage that Sunshine In Paris moved into the four-wide trail mid-race on the back of Rothfire ($51), who brought them both into the contest.

With 250m remaining, Rothfire had reeled in the pace-makers but Sunshine In Paris was unleashing a bold bid to his outside.

However, Rothfire kicked gamely and held the lead until the final 30m where the effort took its toll and the mare gained the upper hand, scoring by a head.

The five-year-old, who took her earnings beyond $6 million, had not placed in two prior heavy track runs and starting her was a leap of faith from co-trainer Rob Archibald.

“I am just so pleased for Sunshine In Paris. She has been great all prep, but she just hasn’t had a great draw and I am so happy that it worked out today,” Archibald said.

“(Owners) John and Deb (Camilleri) for being brave enough and supportive today to run her on a track that probably isn’t her best.

“Annabel back home, I know she would be cheering very loudly. She loves this mare, as does everyone that is involved with her.”

The victory provided Archibald and training partner Annabel (nee Neasham) with their first major win since tying the knot in recent weeks.