JOURNEY TOWARDS LONGINES GOLDEN SLIPPER BEGINS AT OFFICIAL 2YO TRIALS
The early season two-year-olds step out for the first time
September 16, 2022
Early season two-year-olds debut in public under raceday conditions on Monday as the journey towards the Australian Turf Club’s iconic $5 million Longines Golden Slipper begins at the Official Two-Year-Old Trials at Royal Randwick.
Ten heats – six for colts and geldings and four for fillies– will be run on the Royal Randwick course proper from 8.45am as horses contest their first public trials ahead of crucial early Spring races.
Horses will use raceday stalls and pre-parade in the Theatre Of The Horse, along with return to scale, under raceday protocols.
The Australian Turf Club will host a free bacon and egg roll BBQ and coffee cart for the public on the trackside lawn whilst the Australian Racing Christian Chaplaincy will host a free BBQ for strappers and stable staff around the Royal Randwick day stalls.
Monday’s heats determine first starters in the Group 3 $200,000 Arrowfield Breeders’ Plate for the colts and geldings and the Group 3 $200,000 Keeneland Gimcrack Stakes for fillies at Royal Randwick on TAB Epsom Day, 1 October.
The trials and pathway races will also be crucial towards the $1 million Golden Gift at Rosehill Gardens on 5 November – a race which will see the winner entrenched and second placegetter high in the official prizemoney order for the Longines Golden Slipper.
First acceptances for the 2023 $5 million Group 1 Longines Golden Slipper close before 3pm on Tuesday 4 October, 2022.
Monday’s Official 2YO Trials will also be broadcast live on SKY Thoroughbred Central with an enhanced coverage hosted by Greg Radley, Ron Dufficy and Ally Mosley.
Full fields and raceday colours including jockeys and barriers for the trials can be found at https://racing.australianturfclub.com.au/trials/4132
Australian Turf Club Executive General Manager of Racing and Wagering James Ross said the trials were a pivotal day around start of the Sydney Everest Carnival.
“The Official 2YO Trials are a crucial step in a young horse’s racing career and those first steps on a pathway to the world’s richest race for two-year-olds now worth $5 million, plus a $1 million bonus via lead up races,’’ Mr Ross said.
“Monday’s trials also provide the fields for the first Sydney Group two-year-old races of the season for breeders and owners in the Arrowfield Breeders’ Plate for the colts and Keeneland Gimcrack Stakes for the fillies.’’
Pathway to the Group 1 $5 million 2023 Longines Golden Slipper
| DATE | VENUE | GROUP | RACE | DISTANCE | PRIZEMONEY |
| 1-Oct-22 | ROYAL RANDWICK | 3 | ARROWFIELD BREEDERS’ PLATE | 1000 | $200,000 |
| 1-Oct-22 | ROYAL RANDWICK | 3 | KEENELAND GIMCRACK STAKES | 1000 | $200,000 |
| 5-Nov-22 | ROSEHILL GARDENS | – | GOLDEN GIFT | 1200 | $1,000,000 |
| 10-Dec-22 | ROYAL RANDWICK | RL | INGLIS NURSERY | 1000 | $500,000 |
| 28-Jan-23 | ROSEHILL GARDENS | 3 | WIDDEN STAKES | 1100 | $200,000 |
| 28-Jan-23 | ROSEHILL GARDENS | 3 | CANONBURY STAKES | 1100 | $200,000 |
| 4-Feb-23 | ROYAL RANDWICK | L | LONHRO PLATE | 1100 | $140,000 |
| 11-Feb-23 | ROYAL RANDWICK | RL | INGLIS MILLENNIUM | 1100* | $2,000,000 |
| 18-Feb-23 | ROSEHILL GARDENS | 2 | SILVER SLIPPER STAKES | 1100 | $250,000 |
| 25-Feb-23 | ROYAL RANDWICK | 2 | CATANACHS SWEET EMBRACE STAKES | 1200 | $250,000 |
| 25-Feb-23 | ROYAL RANDWICK | 2 | SKYLINE STAKES | 1200 | $250,000 |
| 4-Mar-23 | ROYAL RANDWICK | 2 | YARRAMAN PARK REISLING STAKES | 1200 | $300,000 |
| 4-Mar-23 | ROYAL RANDWICK | 2 | TODMAN STAKES | 1200 | $300,000 |
| 11-Mar-23 | ROSEHILL GARDENS | 3 | MAGIC NIGHT STAKES | 1200 | $200,000 |
| 11-Mar-23 | ROSEHILL GARDENS | 3 | BOWERMANS PAGO PAGO STAKES | 1200 | $200,000 |
| 18-Mar-23 | ROSEHILL GARDENS | 1 | LONGINES GOLDEN SLIPPER | 1200 | $5,000,000 |
| EXEMPT from ballot Longines Golden Slipper | |||||