To watch the replay of Phelan Ready winning the Group 1 Golden Slipper click here .
Phelan Ready 2YO gelding by More Than Ready takes out the Magic Million - Golden Slipper double
Phelan Ready storms to Slipper victory
Posted Sat Apr 4, 2009 4:44pm AEDT
Millions-Slipper double... Brad Rawiller celebrates after riding Phelan Ready to victory. (Getty Images: Matt King)
Phelan Ready claimed the world's richest race for two-year-olds with an emphatic victory in the Golden Slipper at Rosehill on Saturday.
The Magic Millions winner came from the outside barrier before jockey Brad Rawiller took a cunning inside line to gap the field and take out the $3.5 million dash over 1,200m from Headway and Manhattan Rain.
Phelan Ready is just the second Queensland-trained horse to win the Slipper after Calaway Gal in 2002.
It also became just the second galloper to secure the Millions-Slipper double after Dance Hero in 2004.
"I was full of confidence today," Rawiller said.
"This horse is great little horse.
"When I got on the back of Real Saga I thought 'how good's this, I'll let him do the donkey work and take me into the race' but he was struggling 600 metres from home.
"Then suddenly I was only four lengths off them (the leaders) and I hadn't spent a penny. I probably got to the front too soon."
Father, son combo
Bloodied trainer Bruce McLachlan celebrated the win with his wounded jockey.
McLachlan knocked his mouth on the enclosure gate in the excitement of the win while Rawiller revealed after the race he had been concealing an injury to his knee.
Neither was feeling any pain after the $26 chance stamped his authority on the race at the top of the straight.
For respected Queenslander Bruce McLachlan, the win was even more special because he now trains in an official partnership with his son Jason.
"It's great for me but great for Jason," McLachlan said.
"A lot of people didn't think he could win but I suppose they come from New South Wales.
"He was the last horse to get into the Magic Millions and he won that.
"He was the last horse to get into the Slipper and he's won that.
"Everything has gone to plan with him and it's just a wonderful day."
Jason Holder won the Magic Millions on Phelan Ready but was seriously injured in a fall a few days later leaving the mount open for Rawiller.
But he came to Rosehill with a knee injury suffered when he came off his treadmill on Thursday.
"I hit the side, my knee buckled and I ended up two metres from the treadmill arse up," Rawiller said.
"I pushed myself to ride at Ballarat but I thought I had done my cruciate.
"I kept it to myself because I didn't want to go through the whole thing of getting a medical certificate."
The medical certificate came after the Slipper with Rawiller stood down from his remaining mounts.
Slipper favourite Real Saga ($4.20), who finished second to Reward For Effort in the Blue Diamond Stakes, made ground from back in the field to finish fourth.
- ABC/AAP
McLachlans Phelan Ready for Slipper
Friday, 3 April 2009:
A sodden Rosehill track could turn the $3.5 million Golden Slipper into a lottery and Queensland's training partnership of Bruce and Jason McLachlan hope to have the winning ticket.
The McLachlans breathed a sigh of relief when their Magic Millions Classic winner Phelan Ready was assured of a start for the world's richest two-year-old race following last Saturday's final qualifying races at Rosehill.
However, Phelan Ready's hopes in the 1200-metre Group One feature appeared to suffer a major setback at Tuesday's barrier draw when the youngster came up with the outside barrier, 18.
Normally a wide draw in the Golden Slipper is fatal to a horse's chances but recent rain and the prospect of more to come could turn Slipper betting on its head.
Phelan Ready, who stormed home to win the Magic Millions Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast in January, has blown out to a $31 chance for the Slipper following the barrier draw despite his encouraging performance when runner-up to Real Saga in the Group Two Todman Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 21.
The son of More Than Ready was trapped in the worst going near the inside in the Todman Stakes against the preferred wishes of jockey Brad Rawiller.
The McLachlans are the same as most trainers who have limited knowledge how their Golden Slipper hopes will fare on a track expected to be heavy.
"I haven't got a clue how he'll go if the track is heavy," Bruce McLachlan said.
"But the alley won't make a difference now."
The McLachlans became Queensland's first father and son training partnership when they joined forces three months before their Magic Millions triumph.
Jason McLachlan, 38, had previously trained in his own right for four years after working for many years with his father at Thornhill Park before the champion Queensland trainer moved to Caloundra after cutting back on his large team in the twilight of his career.
However, Jason McLachlan eventually got itchy feet and headed to Sydney to try his luck where he stayed for four years before returning to share the training duties when Australian racing regulations were relaxed to permit shared training partnerships last year.
Despite saddling his first Golden Slipper runner as a trainer, Jason McLachlan is not feeling any nerves.
"There's no nerves. When I was foreman for Dad I used to take his horses away and we had a lot of Group One winners," Jason McLachlan said.
"I think we've got a great chance. The horse has improved since his last run and looks terrific."
Bruce McLachlan went close to Slipper glory in 1990 when his filly With Me was a gallant second to Canny Lad on a heavy track.
Perfectly Ready paraded first followed by Patapan.
Our annual 'End of Season Party' was again great fun, the party was to say a big 'Thank you' to all our clients who had support Brighthill Farm stallions over the past season.
For the past 12 years we have been running annual draws to give away complimentary stallion services to our clients by way of 'Thank you' for meeting the terms of the stallion contract, as a gesture of appreciation each respective stallion owner has given a stallion nomination up for the prize. We place the breeders name into the draw for a service to be taken up the following year, depending on which stallion the client went to the previous year.
2009 service to Perfectly Ready was won by Roger Wills, and Messrs M & J Trower, Matamata with their mare Lighten the Load by Danasinga
Runner up prize: free foaling went to Michael Crooks, Invercargill
2009 service to Patapan was won by Jane Page with her mare True Crossing by Cape Cross
Runner up prize: free foaling went to Stu Dromgool, Cambridge
We were treated to sensational weather, a very lively Dixie band, delicious food by Frans of Cambridge together with free flowing wine and beer, Not to mention two stallions, Perfectly Ready and Patapan who just adore their moments back in the spotlight! Nick had chosen three Perfectly Ready weanling to parade in hand, (I just had my fingers crossed they they wouldn't get spooked by the crowds, I really shouldn't have worried, all paraded like troopers, loving every minute of it!).
Please click here to go direct to some light hearted photos taken on the day
Please click here to go directly to our draft of quality, genuine weanlings for the forthcoming New Zealand Bloodstock Weanling and Broodmare Sale on Monday 4 - Wednesday 6 May. Held at the Karaka Complex, Auckland. Towards the middle of April we will have photos of each weanling showing up on the list too.
