No Nay Never's Slipper Island Caps Breakthrough Campaign

Breednet - Saturday April 12

Saturday’s Listed City Of Napier Sprint (1200m) capped a remarkable four-win sequence at Trentham for Slipper Island, whose trainer Tony Pike now has his eye on an even bigger prize at the Wellington track.

Slipper Island winning Saturday’s Listed City Of Napier Sprint (1200m) at Trentham. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)

As recently as January of this year, Slipper Island was an underachiever with a record that fell far short of his talent. The five-year-old son of No Nay Never had won only twice in a 26-start career, with another nine minor placings and a rating languishing in the low 60s.

But Pike mapped out a series of sprints down the Trentham chute through the summer and early autumn, and Slipper Island has turned his whole career around with four straight wins. He kicked off the sequence in Rating 65 grade on Wellington Cup Day on January 18, followed by Rating 75 victories on March 2 and again under a 59kg topweight on March 29.

Saturday’s $80,000 black-type feature was another big step up in class, but Slipper Island rose to the occasion and carried on his winning way.

Advertisement

Slipper Island broke awkwardly from gate three, but soon recovered and took up a midfield position along the rail.

When the front-runner Idyllic rolled away from the fence coming across on to the course proper, jockey Lily Sutherland drove Slipper Island through on her inside.

Slipper Island dashed to the front with 200m remaining and quickly moved two lengths clear of Idyllic, but his job was far from over. Group One winner Pier was powering out of the pack, while the talented mare Tomodachi flew home down the extreme outside.

The three of them hit the finish line locked together, with Slipper Island maintaining a margin of a half-head over Pier. Tomodachi was the same margin away in third.

Slipper Island was offered by Hallmark Stud in Book 1 of Karaka 2021, where Pike Racing bought him for $180,000. He has now had 30 starts for six wins, nine placings and $246,664 in stakes.

“He was very good today,” Pike said. “He’s certainly loved that chute at Trentham in his last few starts and has gone to a whole new level.

“He’s probably done enough in this preparation now and can go out for a bit of a spell. We’ll see how he comes up next time in, but if he could get to the level of a race like the Telegraph (Gr.1, 1200m), that would be a great target to try to aim at.”

Slipper Island completed a black-type double on the Trentham card for Sutherland, who made a similar winning move along the inside rail aboard Mehzebeen in the Listed Valley D’Vine Restaurant Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m).

By Richard Edmunds, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - City Of Napier Sprint LR 1200m

Trentham Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:05.13
1
Slipper Island
- 5h No Nay Never (USA) x Pedicel (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: A W Pike Rdr: L Sutherland 53.00
NZB Karaka Book 1 $180,000
Seller: Hallmark Stud
Buyer: Pike Racing
2
0.1
Pier
- 5g Proisir (AUS) x La Vitesse (NZ) (Darci Brahma (NZ))
Tnr: Darryn & Briar Weatherley Rdr: M J Mc Nab 54.50
3
0.2
Tomodachi
- 4m Tarzino (NZ) x Quintessentially (NZ) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: L O'sullivan & A Scott Rdr: M Hashizume 53.00
4
1
Marotiri Molly
- 6m Per Incanto (USA) x Marotiri Miss (NZ) (Al Akbar (AUS))
Tnr: M T Dixon Rdr: K R Hercock 59.00
5
2.5
Idyllic
- 6m No Nay Never (USA) x Idlewild (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: Kevin & Stephen Gray Rdr: K Chowdhoory 53.00
6
2.7
Platinum Attack
- 4g Santos (AUS) x Conchita (AUS) (Uncle Mo (USA))
Tnr: Ms L Latta Rdr: Matthew Cartwright 53.00
7
3
Silent Is Gold
- 6g Star Turn (AUS) x Confident (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: Kevin & Stephen Gray Rdr: C J Grylls 54.00
8
5
Fancy Like Lass
- 5m Hellbent (AUS) x Mandalong Belle (AUS) (Choisir (AUS))
Tnr: S Thompson Brown & M Brown Rdr: B D Rogerson 53.00
9
5.5
Ivy Dazzler
- 8m Nadeem (AUS) x Ivy Hall (NZ) (Towkay (AUS))
Tnr: Ms I Kelly Rdr: M Singh 53.00
10
5.7
Bold Belle
- 6m The Bold One (NZ) x Gossiping (NZ) (Al Akbar (AUS))
Tnr: B E Newman Rdr: K L Chung 53.00
11
6.5
Scouser
- 4m Contributer (IRE) x Thorn Star (NZ) (Thorn Park (AUS))
Tnr: C W Cole Rdr: C Dell 54
12
7.8
Perfectsister
- 6m Per Incanto (USA) x Justlikeyasister (NZ) (Gold Centre (AUS))
Tnr: G R Vile Rdr: Ashvin Mudhoo 53.00
13
8.9
Faraglioni
- 6m El Roca (AUS) x Catch Your Idol (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: Joshua Shaw Rdr: J K Riddell 57.00
More Reading...
Hellbent Filly Wins Listed Bill Carter
The $160,000 Listed BRC Bill Carter Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday had a short priced favourite in Hellbent filly Sunrays and she gave punters no cause for concern when powering clear for a dominant victory.
NZ Oaks Winner Strikes Form in Australia for Yulong
Last year’s Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Pulchritudinous landed her first blow across the Tasman with a gritty victory in the Gr.3 Magic Millions Fillies & Mares Mile (1600m) at Doomben on Saturday for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Philia Highlights Oaks Claims With Tenacious The Roses Win
Successful last time out in the Listed Princess Stakes when becoming the 30th stakes winner for her sire All Too Hard, the David Vandyke trained Philia went four from four this time in, leading through to win the Group 2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben.
G1 Stradbroke Next for War Machine
Hot favourite War Machine made light work of his rivals in the Gr.3 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday and it is now all systems go as the four-year-old son of Harry Angel (IRE) heads towards the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 14.  
Almanzor Keeps Winners Coming for Moody- Coleman
The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained Roadcone led his rivals a merry dance when winning the Stow Storage Solutions Handicap (1600m) at Sandown on Saturday, bringing up a treble for the stable and jockey Luke Cartwright.
Brisbane Possible for Resurgent Velocious
Group One winner Velocious bounced back to her brilliant best in the Jarvis Trading (1100m) at Te Rapa on Saturday, raising the possibility of a trans-Tasman mission.
Flashy Grey Kingman Colt Wins Irish 2,000 Guineas
Juddmonte Farms have been firing through spring of the euro flat season and they produced the quinella overnight at The Curragh with Kingman colts finishing one and two in the Group I Irish 2,000 Guineas (1m) and leading the way was Field of Gold, who was purchased as a weanling  for €530,000.
Sires With Winners - Saturday May 24
Here is the full list of 102 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Listed Chief De Beers Stakes To Manhood
Surprisingly contesting black type racing for the first time in his career, it was first time lucky for the Annabel and Rob Archibald trained Manhood after the 6yo son of Headwater was strong to the line, leading throughout to win the Listed Chief De Beers Stakes (1110m).
Antino King of Doomben with Track Record Breaking Victory
Trainer Tony Gollan has earmarked the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) as the long-range target for star galloper Antino after a stunning victory in the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) on Saturday in track record time.