Australia: Samaready inherits favoritism in Golden Slipper at Rosehill Gardens

Samaready, a 2-year-old filly by More than Ready, has inherited the role of favorite for Saturday’s $3.57 million Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill Gardens racecourse in Australia, following the defection of leading rival All Too Hard.

All Too Hard is expected to start in a stakes later this month. Without him, Samaready, the winner of three group stakes this year, will be the choice in the world’s richest race for 2-year-olds. The Group 1 Golden Slipper is run over about six furlongs on turf, and has drawn a field of 16.

Samaready won two group stakes over six furlongs in March for trainer Mick Price and jockey Craig Newitt.

The Golden Slipper is the top race on a Rosehill program that features five Group 1 races.

Americain, the winner of the 2010 Melbourne Cup, faces a tough field in the $2,295,000 BMW Cup over about 1 1/2 miles on turf.

Fourth in the 2011 Melbourne Cup, Americain was third in the Group 1 Australian Cup on March 10 behind Manighar, who is part of the BMW Cup field. Manighar, fifth in the 2011 Melbourne Cup, won the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes on March 24.

The field also includes Southern Speed, the winner of the Group 1 Caulfield Cup last October.

More Joyous, a 6-year-old New Zealand-bred mare by More Than Ready, can defend her title in the Group 1 Queen of the Turf Stakes, a $408,000 race for fillies and mares over 7 1/2 furlongs. More Joyous won the Group 2 Canterbury Stakes on March 24, a race she also won in 2011.

Sadly, the race lost a leading contender earlier this week when Pinker Pinker, the winner of the 2011 Cox Plate, died after a reaction to a veterinary treatment, according to published reports.

In the $408,000 Vinery Stud Stakes over about 1 1/4 miles on turf, Mosheen will attempt to win her third consecutive Group 1 stakes. The 4-year-old filly won the Australian Guineas on March 3 and the Randwick Guineas on March 17.

The $408,000 George Ryder Stakes over about 7 1/2 furlongs includes defending champion Rangirangdoo. Second in the Ravnet Stakes to Manighar last month, the 8-year-old Rangirangdoo is part of a field of 17 that includes King Mufhasa, the winner of the Group 1 Futurity Stakes in February, and Metal Binder, third to More Joyous in the Canterbury Stakes on March 24.