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...
I Am Invincible's Media Sensation back with a bang at Te Rapa
Last season’s Gr1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) winner, Media Sensation made a successful start to her four-year-old campaign when she eased clear of race favourite Ferrando to take out the Listed Legacy Lodge Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday February 4
Here is the full list of 46 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Highview Announce Unreserved Deplenishing Sale On-Farm
Longstanding vendors Highview who have been selling yearlings since 1986, have announced the staging of an Unreserved Deplenishing Sale at its Hamilton property on Sunday 15 March 2026. 
Eight Yearlings for Goodwood Farm at Inglis Classic
Kerrie Tibbey’s Goodwood Farm have a rich history of producing G1 winners with the likes of Private Eye, Dance Hero, Rebel Dane, Sacred Choice and Manawanui and at this year’s Inglis Classic yearling sale will offer eight yearlings by a mix of proven and second crop sires.
First to 100
It’s probably no surprise to anyone that this stallion is the first to sire 100 Australian winners this season.
$1,050,000 Colt for I Am Invincible
Tipped as one of the stars on day one at Magic Millions, the I Am Invincible colt from Group II winning Zabeel mare Adrift duly set the sale ring alight when selling for $1,050,00 with Guy Mulcaster signing the docket in conjunction with Waller Racing.
$240,000 Night of Thunder Mare Mount Bona Tops Inglis Digital
Mount Bona (Night of Thunder) – a winner of her past three starts for Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich – topped today’s Inglis Digital February (Early) Online Sale, realising $240,000.
Sires With Winners - Thursday February 5
Here is the full list of 40 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
$1million I Am Invincible Colt from G1 Winner Amanpour
Rosemont Stud bought Group I winning Northern Meteor mare Amanpour for $1.5million at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale and got a big return on investment when selling her I Am Invincible colt for $1million during the first session of Magic Millions on Wednesday.
People at Classic - Thursday Inspections Flat Chat
It was even busier on Thursday than it was on Wednesday at the Riverside complex for the Inglis Classic Sale and Maree McEwan was out speaking to more of the players in the lead up to Sunday.