2026 Silver Slipper Day Tips & Preview (Rosehill) | Saturday 21 February

He’s only made three appearances at the races since debuting, but after a green performance that saw him finish down the order at Randwick on Boxing Day, EMBRACE THE WIND has since recorded consecutive wins in maiden and Class 1 company. This is harder, but he’s got plenty of upside and gets in well under the conditions.

He needed his first run back in November to tune up, but BARELLO took improvement into an eye-catching win in BM58 company at Murwillumbah before filling the minors at Canterbury last time out. Given that latest performance was off a freshen up of around 6 weeks, I’m confident it will have brought him right back on, and he looks to be a genuine each way contender.

Having recorded three impressive victories during her debut preparation, BEV’S NINE picked up where she left off with a fine effort to score by more than a length over this route last month. She does rise in the weights, and this is the hardest task that she’s been set, but I love that she’s been kept up to the mark with a recent trial and she can certainly go on with it.

STORMLAND has only made seven appearances at the races, but there’s no doubt that he has returned an improved horse this time in, and he’s yet to finish worse than second in three runs back. Having won in BM72 company at Canterbury two starts back, he chased Eagle Express hard over 1200m here last time out and just couldn’t quite make up the distance, and getting slightly further out in trip this week does look to suit. He does require a couple of scratchings to gain a start here, but he’ll be right in the mix if that does happen.

PINITO has been a model of consistency in 11 career starts and is yet to miss the placings, winning the Listed Bracelet on the Gold Coast most notably, while we last saw her finishing an agonizingly close second in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks last June. She’s had the benefit of a couple of trials ahead of her return and has raced well at this point of her preparation previously.

CONFEDERATION showed promise at the trials prior to debuting and mustered an eye-catching turn of speed behind Hidrix in the Canonbury here three weeks ago. With natural improvement, I think he can turn the tables on that horse and stamp himself as a leading contender for the Golden Slipper by winning.

He won some nice races last time in and was sent for a break after winning the Group 3 St Leger at Randwick in October, and I thought that TRAVOLTA’s fresh run when fourth, beaten a little over three lengths at Randwick earlier this month had merit. With natural improvement and getting out in trip, I think he’s one of the better chances on the program.

I thought WODETON‘s fresh performance when third, beaten just under three lengths by Tempted in the Eskimo Prince Stakes a fortnight ago warranted another look second up this week. He’s always hinted at winning in Group 1 company and while that crown does still elude him, there’s no denying the ability of this consistent son of Wootton Basset. Second up and out to 1400m, I think he’ll be hard to beat.

LAZZURA was scratched from the Triscay Stakes last weekend and will instead launch her autumn prep in the Millie Fox Stakes. She picked off some nice races during her Spring Carnival prep last year and was particularly good fresh from a break, winning both the Show County Quality and the Let’s Elope first and second up. She has been charged with carrying topweight this week, but she’s well and truly earned that, and I think she’s just the best horse in the race.

We haven’t seen TONKIN in action since October, but in seven trips to the races since debuting, she’s yet to finish worse than second – winning four times. Having trialled up nicely, she gets into this race well at the weights and has drawn ideally, and I can’t find any real reason why she can’t be in the finish once again.