Past Golden Slipper Winners and How Their Runs Might Help You Pick the Winner in 2014

When it comes time to start thinking about your favourite competitor for any competition, the choice can be a tough call. How can you decide which one is most likely to come out on top? The same is true when it comes to horse race betting, especially for the Golden Slipper race. As many experienced betters understand, the key to choosing the favourite horse that is most likely to win depends on much more than just the horse itself and its line of ancestry.

Many other factors, such as the horse’s trainer and jockey, as well as the condition of the racetrack itself, should be considered and weighed when making the decision. What should never be forgotten when making bets of any kind, however, is the history of previous success and the patterns and tendencies that can be seen in them. Let’s take a look at the history of the Golden Slipper winners to see how their runs might help you choose the winner in 2014.

Lessons of 2013: Don’t Overreach

Though it’s important to always aim for the win, it’s also necessary to pace yourself, and this can be just the tactic to get you the gold. This was especially true for last year’s Golden Slipper, as Overreach, ridden by young jockey Tommy Berry, won the title for 2013. In the start of the race, the then two-year-old filly came out of the gates in second, but by mid-race was pushed back to behind fourth. This seemed to have given the filly just the slow start she required to muster the energy and suddenly pass those ahead of her. It was an epic win for Overreach in 2013, marking her and her jockey’s first Golden Slipper success.

Though it was the filly’s first win, it wasn’t the trainer’s. Gai Waterhouse is very well known in the industry for training Golden Slipper winners, and her confidence in her horses is unprecedented. This hard work and expertise is certainly reflective in the horses’ performances during the race, and was true again in the case of Overreach.

For your 2014 betting horse, you might consider following the rule of not overreaching. Opting for a horse that has the tendency to drain all of their energy fresh out of the gate might just mean giving up the golden title. Also, don’t judge young, rather inexperienced jockeys too quickly—they just might be that much more motivated to get their first big win!

2012: Pierro’s First Gives Waterhouse Another Win

Looking at confidence and patterns, especially when based on the last two years of the Golden Slipper, we see that there is a bit of a pattern forming here. At the end of 2011, Gai Waterhouse herself stated that her colt, Pierro, would win the 2012 Golden Slipper. Later the next year, her bold statement came true. Pierro outran Snitzerland, ridden by jockey Nash Rawiller. The 2012 win proves the success rate of dedication, experience, and training, with Pierro being trained by one of the world’s best, and being ridden by a very experienced jockey who has 1481 wins under his belt to date.

Pierro’s race itself, however, is much like the success story of Waterhouse’s latest achievement. Taking the lead and stealing the win at least just as dramatically as Overreach, Pierro ran behind the top four in the race for the majority of the track. He was only pushed to his fullest capabilities in the last 100 metres of the 1200-metre race, when he passed Snitzerland by a hair with hardly any time left, and took the Golden Slipper.

If you’re looking for some certainty in your bet for 2014, put your money on the patterns, and opt for a horse that is backed up by previous wins in the trainer’s and jockey’s history. Perhaps consider the most confident trainers, or stick with what you know and go for Gai Waterhouse. If it can happen twice in a row, why can’t the pattern continue?

Sepoy’s 2011 Win: Consistency Is Key

Though the last two years have shown a very similar tactic in taking the Golden Slipper, by holding back and reserving energy until the last part of the race, sometimes consistency is key. This becomes clear in the 2011 Golden Slipper race, which was executed in a particularly skilful manner that certainly had those in the crowds betting on Sepoy nearly the entire time. Never falling too far behind, Sepoy always remained near the front. Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy and trained by Peter Snowden, the colt’s performance marked the first Golden Slipper win for the Sydney-based trainer. Sepoy never fell behind third place and outran his competitors, Mosheen and Elite Falls, with plenty of time to spare. The colt’s tenacity and consistent ease stand as a reminder that sometimes consistency and stability are key to winning.

Taking this example into consideration, perhaps your 2014 chosen favourite should simply be one that brings you a sense of certainty and assurance. Besides, going with a less risky choice and opting for something safe isn’t always a bad idea, and it might be the key to less stress come race day.

So now you know that when it comes to choosing and predicting who will be the winning horse, you essentially have two options. You can always opt for the horse that is backed by an experienced trainer who has consistent Golden Slipper wins, like Gai Waterhouse, and place more emphasis on the trainer than on the actual horse. On the other hand, you can choose a horse that has shown consistency in its own history of races, but perhaps doesn’t offer the most impeccable, success-driven background, like Sepoy who claimed his trainer his first Golden Slipper win.

Whichever route you decide to take, just remember that research is key. However, you should remember that no amount of research can offer the foresight to know everything, so opt to make this year’s Golden Slipper an event to be enjoyed. Above all, remember to smile, whether you get the gold or not.