THE A$5 million Group 1 ATC Golden Slipper Stakes over six furlongs at Rosehill on Saturday proved a history-making race for Coolmore, with champion trainer Chris Waller collecting his very first Golden Slipper trophy with the two-year-old colt Shinzo.

Though twice-placed on group races, Shinzo was still a maiden going into the Group 3 ATC Pago Pago Stakes the previous Saturday, but he turned in a great performance to come from last and win, securing his place in the Golden Slipper field. The homebred is the 19th Group 1 winner for his sire, Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), and a second star performer for the dual Group 1 winner Samaready, a daughter of More Than Ready (Southern Halo).

Shinzo enjoyed a dream run on the rail under Ryan Moore, and raced to victory from the Godolphin homebred and favourite Cylinder by more than a length. “We knew we had a Group 1 horse; we just didn’t know what distance, and our team backed ourselves to know we could get speed into him because he’d just learned to race,’’ Waller said.

Very good

He added: “He’s a very good colt and I appreciate the owners for trusting me, not just with him but with a lot of other good horses. I guess that takes things to a different level of pressure; they need results, and they chose me to try to find a Group 1 Golden Slipper winner, and we’ve managed to do it for them.”

While Coolmore purchase a significant number of colts every year, winning the Golden Slipper with a homebred is special. Tom Magnier said after the win: “This is the race we wanted to win more than any other this year. We asked Ryan Moore to come out and ride Shinzo at short notice, and what can you say about him.

“Thank God for Ryan Moore, he is on another level, he is so patient. I have to make mention of Chris Waller; he has had so much faith in this colt. He kept us believing.”

With two group wins and two group placings from four starts, earning some A$3 million (£1.7 million), Shinzo is the second Golden Slipper winner following Estijaab, who won in 2018, for champion sire Snitzel.

He is a full-brother to the A$600,000 yearling, and Group 3 and Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Exhilarates (Snitzel), who is owned by Darley, so the defeat of Cylinder would have been somewhat softened by knowing they have a full-sister to the winner.

In Ireland

Shinzo was foaled and raised at Coolmore and is the second winner from the Group 1 A J Moir Stakes and Blue Diamond Stakes winner, and A$110,000 yearling purchase, Samaready, who was bought by Tom Magnier in 2020 for A$1.8 million at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale when she was carrying the Golden Slipper winner.

Sent to Ireland last year, Samaready was covered last year by Frankel (Galileo). Samaready is the best of the seven winners from Samar (Secret Savings), though her half-sister Night War (General Nediym) was a dual Group 2 winning mare.

Also responsible for seven winners was Samar’s dam, the British-bred Nice Choice (Touching Wood), and among that septet was County Tyrone (Danewin), successful three times at Group 1 level, in the Queensland Derby, Sydney Cup and the Metropolitan Handicap.