The Eastern Cape’s leading three-year-old filly looks a banker to start this weekend’s racing action on a good note at Fairview this Friday. Gauteng’s powerhouse sprinter also rates a banker at Turffontein on Saturday, when a Hollywoodbets Durbanville fixture adds punch to the afternoon.
The international highlight is Saturday morning’s Golden Slipper meeting at Rosehill Gardens, Australia’s biggest day of Group 1 racing and a highlight of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival. There are five Group 1 contests including the Aus$5-million TAB Golden Slipper, the world’s richest race for two-year-olds. This superb meeting is likely to produce a record-breaking 130th Group 1 win for jockey James McDonald. The BMW Hong Kong Derby rounds off a big global weekend on Sunday.
Alan Greeff’s cracking filly Anotherdanceforme takes on Justin Snaith’s promising colt In A Timely Manner in Race 7, the Listed Bryanston Auctioneers East Cape Guineas, and looks up to the task. Anotherdanceforme counts five stakes wins in her seven career successes so far and made a big winning comeback after a rest at the course and distance recently. She’s hard to oppose. Following the scratching of Cruise Control, Fairy Knight should take a power of beating in the supporting feature, the Hollywood Supports ECHCU East Cape Sprint over 1200m (Race 6).
All TAB Win, Place, Quinella and Trifecta bets on Races 1 to 10 at this famous meeting will go into the Hong Kong World Pool tote, giving multiple chances to bank a big win.
The 70th running of the Golden Slipper over 1200m (Race 8), one of Australia’s big-four Group 1s, brings together the best juvenile runners in the country and Sydney-trained Chayan is a popular ante-post fancy. She was dominant in the recent Group 2 Reisling Stakes at Randwick and is expected to fight it out with Streisand, who brings standout form into the race after her triumph in February’s Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes.
It’s an important occasion for champion jockey James McDonald, who needs one more Group 1 win to set Australia’s all-time Group 1 record, currently held by Damien Oliver with 129 successes. Macdonald has winning chances in all five Group 1s including Race 7, the George Ryder Stakes over 1500m in which he partners star filly Autumn Glow. The meeting starts at 03:20 with the Golden Slipper at 07:35.
Little Ballerina should be cherry ripe for the Grade 3 WSB Sycamore Sprint over 1160m (Race 7). It’s an open renewal, but one has to consider that Little Ballerina won the Grade 2 SA Nursery in her only previous run over this course and distance.
She has signalled a return to that level of form in three runs after a long rest and should contest the finish with Poblano, who finished ahead of her in the Bauhinia Stakes but seems better over 1000m.
Eastern Cape raider Song Of Myself has beaten some of the best male sprinters at Fairview and is not out of it, while Frozen Fantasy’s proven Graded form gives her more than outside chance.
The Pick 6 banker of the day is seven-year-old sprinter William Robertson, who is hard to peg back when he’s in top form, as is the case now. He should overpower Rodeo Drive, Minogue and Rafa Bay in Race 9 over 1160m.
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3
Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 5
Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 8
Leg 4: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12
Leg 5: 1, 2, 3, 6
Leg 6: 1
Absolutely Yes has not won since landing two stakes’ races as a two-year-old last year, but has a good opportunity to return to the winner’s enclosure in Race 7 over 1200m, the feature event on this eight-race card. He failed to match the best in five features through the summer, but this strong galloper has dropped in the ratings and should go close in this weaker company. Stablemate Scottish Kiss is a capable course-and-distance performer and is a solid back-up for the Pick 6 and Jackpot.
Harry Skelton’s six-year-old mare Getawhisky has a strong chance in Race 4, a Grade 2 hurdle over 4100m. Following a fall in an introductory hurdle race at Ascot in November 2025 when she looked to be travelling well, Getawhisky rebounded with an easy victory over 3200m at Windsor in January. She is the marginal fancy in a big field.
Talented five-year-old Banker’s Two Six is now established as one of the country’s leading stayers. He looks primed to secure his first Group 1 victory in Race 7, the Perak Derby over 2000m at Ipoh. He is in peak form, having recorded three decisive wins from as many starts this season, and could give trainer Johnny Lim his fourth success in a race he last won in 2011. The meeting starts at 06:45.
Stormy Grove proved his mettle with a sweeping Classic Cup success over 1800m on 1 March. As normal, he settled off the pace before producing a late surge and he is the one to beat in the BMW Hong Kong Derby over 2000m (Race 7). Invincible Ibis has had a faultless preparation and poses a threat, but it will take a massive effort to hold off Stormy Grove’s likely finishing burst. The meeting starts at 07:00
Rollo The Viking and Wild At War resume rivalry in the feature event over 1400m (Race 7). They clashed over the course and distance in January with Wild At War scoring by 0.30 lengths. While better off at the weights, Wild At War faces a daunting task from the widest draw in a 14-horse field. Rollo The Viking, better drawn and fresh after a short break, could turn the tables.