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...
Femminile gives Dundeel first female G1 winner with Derby victory
Supersire Dundeel has his second G1 South Australian Derby winner and his first female G1 winner after his courageous daughter Femminile was too good for the boys at Morphettville this afternoon in the time honoured 2500m Classic.
2.3million Justify Colt Wins G1 Newmarket 2000 Guineas for Godolphin
The weekend started well for Godolphin when their unbeaten filly Good Cheer won the Group I Kentucky Oaks on Friday and it got even better on Saturday when record priced  €2.3million Justify colt Ruling Court landed the Group I Newmarket 2000 Guineas in the UK.
Sires With Winners - Saturday May 3
Here is the full list of 113 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Inglis Australian Weanlings - Unraced Trial Report
With the Inglis Australian Weanling sale kicking off on Monday don’t forget to check the unraced trialler report for a bit more intel on what might be coming.
Deep Field's Depth Of Character Takes The Queensland Guineas
Deep Field three-year-old Depth Of Character has opened the path to a potential Group I Stradbroke Handicap tilt after winning the Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
First Stakes Winner for Cool Aza Beel
Newhaven Park’s Cool Aza Beel produced his first stakes winner when two-year-old colt Cool Archie won the Listed Dalrello Stakes (1000m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
$1.1million Fastnet Filly a New SW for Sheamus Mills Bloodstock
Tara Talks Racing podcast listeners would have taken notice of the Listed SAJC Adelaide Guineas (1600m) at Morphettville on Saturday featuring $1.1million Fastnet Rock filly On Display.
Kentucky Derby Triumph for Godolphin
Sheikh Mohammed’s revered Godolphin racing and breeding operation have won Derbies all over the world, but until today the Kentucky Derby had proven elusive, but a three year-old colt called Sovereignty changed all that at Churchill Downs before a crowd in excess of 150,000.
So You Think He’s Tough- Punch Lane Wins G3 Hawkesbury Gold Cup
Backing up for a third Saturday in a row, super fit So You Think gelding Punch Lane booked his place in the $3million Big Dance later this year when leading all the way to win the $250,000 Group III Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) on Saturday.
Libertad Back To Winning Form in G2 Victory Stakes
It had been a while between drinks but Russian Revolution stallion Libertad found his way back to winning form in the Group II Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.