08-07-2025
1937 2YOs entered for the 2026 Golden Slipper
Almost 2000 yearlings have been entered for next year's 70th running of Australia's most significant breed-shaping race, the Group 1 $5m Golden Slipper at Rosehill Gardens on March 21.
The 2026 Golden Slipper nominations are made up by 953 colts and geldings and 984 fillies, totalling 1937 juvenile entries.
Australian breeding and racing's newest superpower Yulong Investments has a 5.93 per cent chance of claiming their first Golden Slipper win, having the most horses entered with 115 juveniles nominated.
Eight-time Golden Slipper winner Gai Waterhouse and her two-time winning training partner Adrian Bott sit behind Yulong with 107 entries. Other operations with big entry numbers are Godolphin (95), Chris Waller Racing (94) and Ciaron Maher Racing (91).
Last year's winning trainer Michael Freedman has 60 entries, 32 colts and 28 fillies, four of those yearlings are by the ill-fated Snitzel, the sire of the 2025 Golden Slipper winner Marhoona.
'The Golden Slipper is iconic in world racing and plays such a pivotal role for the Australian racing and breeding industry,' Australian Turf Club Head of Racing and Wagering Nevesh Ramdhani said.
'We are delighted to see such an emerging organisation such as Yulong nominating so many horses along with the biggest stables across Australia.'
Leading the sires list for the 2026 Golden Slipper is former champion stallion I Am Invincible with 90 entries, while another former champion stallion Snitzel has 72 entries in his second last crop while this season's soon to be crowned champion Australian stallion Zoustar has 61 of his yearlings nominated for the world's richest two-year-old race.
Highly regarded first season stallions in 2025/26 are also represented. Home Affairs has 75 entries while the 2021 Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside has 66 of his crop nominated.
Entries for other stallions of note include Wooton Bassett (57), Too Darn Hot (56), Written Tycoon (51), 2020 Golden Slipper winner Farnan (45) and this season's leading first season sire Ole Kirk (40).
