Marhoona Gives Snitzel And Emirates Park Three Golden Slipper Winners Apiece

[Wandering Eyes]

by Josh Spasaro/TTR AusNZ

Snitzel's domination this season continued with his third G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner as the filly Marhoona (Aus) won a dramatic race. Snitzel is currently leading the Australian Sires' Table by stakes winners and leading the Australian Broodmare Sires' Table by stakes winners with 14 individuals in each table. It was also the third Golden Slipper scorer for owner/breeder Emirates Park after Estijaab (Aus), also by Snitzel, and Mossfun (Aus) (Mossman {Aus}).

Early in the race, Bjorn Baker filly Within The Law (Aus) (Lucky Vega {Ire}) went through the running rail, and fortunately both her and jockey Jason Collett were uninjured. Marhoona was well placed by jockey Damian Lane, sitting in behind the leaders until half-way down the straight, when she found space and shot to the lead with the rest of the field all attacking the line. She clung on and won by 0.14l from Chris Waller trained-colt Wodeton (Aus) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) with Godolphin's filly Tempted (Aus) (Street Boss) in third, 0.65l from the winner.

“A huge thrill. You know, we've been through the ups and downs with the family over a lot of years with these sort of good results, bad results. But, yeah, it's a huge thrill for my team. I mean, I've got a lot of young, up-and-coming stars in the industry, I think, and they've had such a big part to play in this, probably a lot more than me,” said trainer Michael Freedman.

Lightly raced, Marhoona won on debut, then was second in the G2 Reisling Stakes last start, and this was only her third start. She now has earnings of over A$3 million for owner-breeders Emirates Park.

“If I'm being honest, I said to a few people, earlier today, I thought maybe it would have been nice to have had one more run under our belt, but she's a special filly,” he added. “When she won at Canterbury at first start, she ripped half a foot off winning that race, and I thought, 'you're tough'. And she bounced back from it, went to the Reisling a month later, and it's a bit of an unusual preparation, I guess, going into a Slipper at your third start. But, yeah, she's a special filly.”

Pedigree Notes

She becomes the 23rd Group 1 winner for Snitzel and his 155th stakes winner. He recently surpassed his own sire Redoute's Choice (Aus) and grandsire Danehill with his 83rd individual 3-year-old stakes winner. His other two Slipper winners are Shinzo (Aus) and the aforementioned Estijaab.

Emirates Park have nurtured this family for several generations and their broodmare Salma (Aus) (Encosta De Lago {Aus}) is something special as Marhoona is her fourth stakes winner from five foals to races. The unraced mare's best offspring prior to Marhoona was her third foal, G2 Stan Fox Stakes winner and G1 Sires' Produce Stakes-placed and G1 Champagne Stakes-placed Hilal (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) who stood his first season at New Zealand's Grangewilliam Stud in 2024.

Salma's 3-year-old filly Silaaleh (Aus) (Tassort {Aus}) is unraced, but the mare has missed for the last three seasons. Salma is a half-sister to Listed Dulcify Stakes winner Big Time (Aus) (Danewin {Aus}) and is a daughter of G3 Fernhill Stakes winner Salameh (Aus) (Secret Savings), who in turn is a half-sister to Group 1 winner and sire Al Maher (Aus). This is the family of Group 1 winners Umatilla (Aus), Hurricane Sky (Aus), Redoute's Choice, Tom Kitten (Aus) (Harry Angel {Ire}), among others.

Saturday, Rosehill Gardens, Australia
GOLDEN SLIPPER STAKES-G1, A$5,000,000, ATC, 3-22, 2yo, Open Set Weight, 1200mT, 1:10.00, gd.
1–MARHOONA (AUS), 54.5, f, 2, by Snitzel (Aus)
            1st Dam: Salma (Aus), by Encosta de Lago (Aus)
            2nd Dam: Salameh (Aus), by Secret Savings
            3rd Dam: Show Dancing (NZ), by Don't Say Halo
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN.
O-Emirates Park (Mgr: N A H Lootah); B-Emirates Park Pty Ltd
(NSW); T-Michael Freedman; J-Damian Lane; A$2,994,500.
Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, A$3,090,150. *1/2 to Trojan Harbour
(Aus) (Harbour Watch {Ire}), SW-SAf; Salateen (Aus) (I Am
Invincible {Aus}), SW & GSP-Aus, $303,457; and Hilal (Aus)
(Fastnet Rock {Aus}), GSW & MG1SP-Aus, $1,020,598. Click for
   the free Arion.co.nz catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Wodeton (Aus), 56.5, c, 2, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Fiera Vista
(Aus), by Exceed and Excel (Aus). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK-TYPE.
(A$1,600,000 Ylg '24 MMLJAN). O-Coolmore, Wynaus,
Westerberg, J Poulin, Sir P J Vela, Chris Waller Racing, Lynque,
Peachester Lodge Pty Ltd, R McClure, Marcstown, Meridian
Bloodstock, Lockhart Waller Racing, Glentree Racing, K
MacLennan & Fairway Thoroughbreds; B-Fairway
Thoroughbreds (NSW); T-C J Waller; J-J B Mc Donald;
A$850,000.
3–Tempted (Aus), 54.5, f, 2, Street Boss–Calliope (Aus), by
Exceed and Excel (Aus). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK-TYPE.
O-Godolphin; B-Godolphin Australia (NSW); T-James
Cummings; J-B Shinn; A$425,000.
Margins: SHD, HF, 1 3/4. Odds: 7.00, 6.00, 3.80.
Also Ran: Rivellino (Aus), Devil Night (Aus), North England (Aus), Skyhook (Aus), Bellazaine (Aus), Military Tycoon (Aus), Tycoon Star (Aus), Beiwacht (Aus), King of Pop (Aus), West of Swindon (Aus), Quietly Arrogant (Aus), Farcited (Aus), Within the Law (Aus). Click for the Racing Australia chart. VIDEO.

 

What a win by Marhoona in the G1 TAB Golden Slipper, proving dreams can come true!

She wins for @MFreedmanRacing and @LaneDamian! @EmiratesPark | @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/EAq92UCjBf

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 22, 2025

 

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