Slipper Produces Australia’s Best Maiden

Tara Madgwick - Sunday March 25
The Group I ATC Golden Slipper produced a brilliant finish with the cream of the juvenile crop rising to the occasion and the top three in betting finding their way into the first four past the post, but the surprise packet in the first four was an I Am Invincible filly now undisputedly Australia's best maiden.

Oohood challenges the winner EstijaabA homebred for Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, the Tony McEvoy trained Oohood (image Steve Hart) made the winner Estijaab earn her victory, sticking on gamely to test the Snitzel filly before going down by a long head with her stablemate Sunlight in third place just ahead of the Blue Diamond winner Written By.

"It was a great effort. I thought at the 100m when I was coming I was going to get there but the winner kicked a little bit as I was coming and held me at bay," said her rider Zac Purton.

While much has been written on Estijaab, the performance of Oohood marks her as a horse to follow and she too has a blueblood background.

A half-sister to stakes-placed Breakfast in Bed and six other winners, Oohood is from metropolitan winning Sunday Silence mare Bella Sunday, who was bred by Arrowfield in partnership and sold at the 2002 Magic Millions where she made $420,000 to the bid of Rogerson Bloodstock.

Oohood came with a big pedigree as she is a half-sister to stakes-winner and leading sire Not a Single Doubt being from terrific producer Singles Bar, a daughter of famed matriarch Easy Date, the third dam of the 2007 Golden Slipper winner Forensics.

Bella Sunday did her racing for Ron Finemore and the Arrowfield partners before going to stud for them and it was not until she was offered at the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale in 2013 that she came into the ownership of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum.

She was purchased at that sale by Tim Stakemire on behalf of the Sheikh for just $110,000 and her subsequent foals since 2013 including Oohood have been foaled and raised at Coolmore.

Oohood has yet to miss a place in five starts earning a tick over $800,000 and her Golden Slipper second was preceded by a third in the Blue Diamond.

While she went to the post at $16 in the Slipper, it is very unlikely punters will get such good odds about Oohood in the future.

Footnote: The current yearling from Bella Sunday, a colt by Smart Missile was sold by Coolmore at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $140,000 to McEvoy Mitchell Racing.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Star Sprinter Jokers Grin Plays Winning Hand
On a big, boisterous opening day of The Pinnacles carnival at a packed out Ascot racecourse, WA’s reigning Horse Of The Year Jokers Grin was definitely the headline act.
Invincible Filly Wins $1million G3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes
I Am Invincible was expected to have the winner in the $1million Group III MRC Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday with race favourite My Gladiola coming out of a second placing in the Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes, but it was another daughter of the champion sire that got the cash.
First Stakes Victory For Better Then Ready’s Epic Proportions
With victories in NSW, Victoria and Queensland since July, Ciaron Maher’s Better Than Ready gelding Epic Proportions has produced some strong efforts in his last four starts in the sunshine state, but none more so than his effort of Saturday to win the Listed BRC Keith Noud Stakes (1200m) when leading throughout. 
2026 Inglis Classic Sire Break Up and Vendor Representation
The 2026 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale is now online with 798 yearlings which is pretty much on on a par with last year’s 805 and if you believe variety is the spice of life this catalogue is going to make you happy.
Bivouac Filly Wins $500,000 Placid Ark Stakes - G1 Possible
Worth a whopping $500,000, the Listed WATC Placid Ark Stakes (1100m) for three year-olds was the richest race on the program at Ascot on Saturday and the short priced favourite Luana Miss scored an impressive win.
Sires With Winners - Saturday November 15
Here is the full list of 110 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Invincible Colt on Target for Blue Diamond
The open juvenile event at Randwick on Saturday always looked good on paper with some highly rated fillies and two expensive colts engaged and at the winning post it was I Am Invincible’s Rulership that claimed the victory and he did it in style!
Star WA Mare Storyville on Track for G1 Railway
Quality four year old mare Storyville (Overshare) collected her third stakes win and slammed the door of the Last Chance Saloon shut on a couple of potential Railway Stakes rivals in the G3 RJ Peters Stakes 1500m at Ascot.
Almanzor Mare Back on Track
Classy mare Mary Shan has black-type targets on her agenda after bouncing back to winning form in Saturday’s Happy Hire Cup (1400m) at Tauranga.
2026 Inglis Classic Now Online
The catalogue for the 2026 Classic Yearling Sale – the fastest growing success story of the Southern Hemisphere’s early-season auctions – is now available online.