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By Ray Hickson

They call it the Golden Slipper curse.

It suggests that the cost of winning the nation’s premier two-year-old race is a greatly reduced chance of making it back to the winner’s stall as an older horse.

Trainer Michael Freedman (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Trainer Michael Freedman experienced it with Stay Inside in 2021 but he’s quietly confident reigning Slipper champ Marhoona is in the right race to pick up where she left off at Rosehill on Saturday.

Of the 10 preceding Golden Slipper winners, and the ‘curse’ dates back a lot further, only She Will Reign (2017) has trained on to win a Group 1 race. Fireburn (2022) won the Sires' at her next start and won again at three.

That’s not to say you can’t be competitive, the 2024 winner Lady Of Camelot is still winless since her victory but she’s so far recorded seven placings including four at Group 1 level, but racing is about winning so that's always the focus.

Freedman said Marhoona is as well as he can have her for the Listed $200,000 Petaluma Heritage Stakes (1100m) on the back of two trials against open company with a second behind Briasa her latest hitout.

“She’s probably a little stronger and more robust, she’s never going to be a big rangy filly but she has some strength about her and she’s in good nick,’’ he said.

“One thing you don’t have to worry about with a filly is whether they come back too colty which is always a bit of question mark with the colts.

“She’s always going to be a Group 1 winner now so from a future breeding perspective she has that in her back pocket. But Hussein Lootah, her owner, is quite keen to see her race on into the future and that’s why we are giving her a lighter spring then into the autumn.”

Marhoona, $3.30 with TAB on Friday, came to prominence quickly back in the autumn as she made her debut just 43 days before winning the $5 million race.

Six of the youngsters that finished behind her will contest the Golden Rose on Saturday and Freedman said while Marhoona has been absent the form around her has proven encouraging.

“She had her first race start on the 7th of February so to be winning a Golden Slipper six or so weeks later is pretty amazing,’’ he said.

“She was there at the right time, in the right form, drew a good barrier. It was encouraging to see how Tempted came back from her two-year-old campaign.

“I’ve been very happy with her. I’m glad I didn’t run last week, while she has a bit of weight to carry it’s a nice springboard hopefully.

“You’d hope if she gets the right run, if she comes back in good enough form she’d be thereabouts for sure.”

Stablemate Manaal, owned in the same interests, didn’t win her Golden Slipper last year but she’s trained on in the style Freedman would hope Marhoona can.

After an autumn where luck didn’t go her way the four-year-old posted her first win for 12 months in the Sheraco Stakes and Freedman sees no reason why she can’t continue on in the Group 2 $400,000 Racing & Sports Golden Pendant (1400m).

“She was dogged by some pretty bad draws in the autumn but I still felt she was going well,’’ he said.

“It was nice to see her get an opportunity two weeks ago without any excuses. She’s always been so honest and it was great to see her back in the winner’s circle.”

Freedman said there are plenty of options for Manaal this spring, she could be targeted at the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) via the Silver Eagle or a race like the $2m The Invitation.

“The 1400m is nice for her third-up, she seems to race well at Rosehill and I think it is a good option for her,’’ he said.

Marhoona runs second in a Rosehill trial on September 9

“If she can get the right run hopefully she can make her presence felt.”

Michael Freedman on Wymark (race 4): “I think Saturday’s race is a good opportunity for him to put his hand up. He’s drawn a good barrier which will allow us to put him in the race and see where he’s at. He had to go back from a very wide gate, it was more a leader dominated race, but with the ability to sit a bit handier to the speed you’d like to think he can put in a good performance.”

On Polyglot (race 10): “It’s a pretty horrible barrier, particularly with blinkers for the first time this preparation. I was happy with how he responded to them in the trials but from that set up it is an ugly barrier so we’ll have to have a look at it.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Golden Rose meeting at Rosehill