Can Capitalist defy the Golden Slipper curse?
The Golden Slipper may be one of the feature events on the Australian racing calendar, but it is fair to say that the winners of the Group 1 event are often a mixed bag going forward.
Nine of the past 30 winners of the Golden Slipper went on to win another Group 1 event as older horses, but for every Miss Finland or Sepoy there is a Prowl or a Stratum who were unable to win another race following their Golden Slipper success.
Pierro was the last Golden Slipper winner to go on to genuine superstardom – he completed the two-year-old Triple Crown and won the Canterbury Stakes and George Ryder Stakes as a three-year-old – but the three Golden Slipper winners since have not been able to push on as three-year-olds.
Overreach won the 2013 Golden Slipper in emphatic fashion, but she was not seen at the races as a three-year-old and was retired after she finished third in the Schillaci Stakes in 2014.
Mossfun beat Earthquake to win the 2014 Golden Slipper, but she never went close to winning another race and she was retired at the end of a disappointing 2015 Sydney Autumn Carnival campaign.
Vancouver was hyped as one of the most impressive Golden Slipper winners in history and trainer Gai Waterhouse was confident that he could win the Golden Rose, Caulfield Guineas and Cox Plate, but he flopped in the San Domenico Stakes and he was never seen at the races again.
What then do we expect of 2016 Golden Slipper winner Capitalist? Is he more Pierro or Vancouver?
The hype surrounding this horse was already deflated once after he was upset by Kiss And Make Up in the Todman Stakes, but he stamped himself as the best two-year-old of his generation with his Golden Slipper victory.
Capitalist made his first public appearance since his Golden Slipper triumph with a very slick performance in a barrier trial at Royal Randwick on July 15 and he is now a clear favourite in both Golden Rose and Caulfield Guineas betting markets.
I would be extremely cautious before throwing my support behind Capitalist in either race.
Co-trainer Peter Snowden confirmed that Capitalist would have one more barrier trial before starting his spring campaign in the Missile Stakes at Royal Randwick on August 6, but he is yet to confirm where he will head after that run.
Even if he does head to races like the Golden Rose and the Caulfield Guineas, history is against him.
No Golden Slipper winner has ever returned to Rosehill Gardens to win the Golden Rose, while only Storm Queen (1966), Vain (1969), Luskin Star (1977) and Manikato (1978) have been able to complete the Golden Slipper/Caulfield Guineas double.
A more appropriate option for Capitalist could be the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day, especially Snowden he thinks that the son of Written Tycoon will be a genuine speedster.
Snowden knows what it takes to complete the Golden Slipper/Coolmore Stud Stakes double as he did it with Sepoy in 2011 and the likes of Tierce (1991), Courtza (1989), Manikato (1978), Toy Show (1975) and Vain (1969) have also been able to win both races.
Following Capitalist during the 2016 Spring Racing Carnival is set to be fascinating and if there is any trainer that is capable of getting the best out of him it is Peter Snowden!