Michael Freedman’s charge Marhoona saluted in the Golden Slipper over a year ago before storming to career Group 1 number two in The Galaxy.
“So much for the Slipper hoodoo,” Freedman said.
“I don’t think I’ve had a horse that’s just got as much tenacity as she does. She hates losing.
“She looked out on her feet at the 100m there and just refused to lay down, a bit like the Slipper last year. What a filly.”
Nine rivals crossed within a length in The Galaxy, validating the handicapper’s assessments.
At $12, Marhoona with Kerrin McEvoy scraped home a head in front of Jedibeel ($21)’s late charge, Mazu ($18) clinging to third by a short head, Briasa ($4 joint top pick) close in fourth.
The start was marred by drama when $4 elect Grafterburners reared violently in barriers, flipping out and ejecting Golden Slipper jockey Zac Lloyd, holding up the race beyond five minutes.
Grafterburners scratched per vet advice; Lloyd hobbled away with leg/ankle muscle soreness.
Marhoona emulates She Will Reign (2017 Golden Slipper/Moir Stakes) as the first Golden Slipper winner to grab a senior Group 1.
She equals Luskin Star (1978) alone among Golden Slipper winners taking The Galaxy.
“We discussed before the race maybe ending up in the one-one,” Freedman said.”But, you know, Kerrin showed great initiative and just went and parked outside the leader.
“I knew when she was there she’d be certainly right in the finish, but I was a little bit concerned, maybe at the furlong (a200m) where I thought maybe she’s going to get sort of steamrolled, but she’s just got such an incredible will to win.”
Securing elite win 88, McEvoy admitted minor doubt at the straight entrance.
“But full credit to her, the more I asked, the more she dug,” McEvoy said.
“Michael said to me, ‘Look, she’s right in it with the weight’ and we were confident she would handle the ground.
“I was under pressure from the top of the straight but she kept fighting back.
“At the 100m, I was still there. It’s a nice surprise when they get off the canvas like that.
“She’s a star filly, its onwards and upwards from here. She’s won a couple of Group 1 races now so well played by Michael.”
Freedman plans send Marhoona to Royal Randwick’s Group 1 $3m TJ Smith (1200m) April 4, aiming long-term at spring Group 1 $20m The Everest (1200m).
Settling rearward, Brad Widdup’s Jedibeel weaved through turning wide to nearly nab Marhoona.
“He is in super order,” jockey Tommy Berry said. “He gave away a bit of start from the gate and just narrowly missed. It was a tough effort.”
Mazu led stubbornly before fading marginally. “He is going super this horse,” jockey Rachel King said of Mazu. “He has his quirks which we all know about, he likes to do things his own way, but he couldn’t be going any better.”
Briasa, fourth last year in The Galaxy en route to TJ Smith success, repeated the placing in Rosehill’s big sprint; Team Hawkes chases Randwick encore.
“I thought he was terrific,” jockey Tyler Schiller said of Briasa.
“He got into a lovely spot from the wide gate, three deep with cover, and tracked into it nicely.
“His runcame to an end with the heavy weight and the wet ground. A couple with the pull in the weights got him but he did a great job.”
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