MORE Than Ready will be out to keep his peerless record the Golden Slipper success humming along as he strives for his third winner of the world’s richest two-year-old come 2013.
The Vinery Stud resident is credited with consecutive Slipper winners with Sebring in 2008 followed by Phelan Ready and then consecutive placings with Elite Falls, More Strawberries and Samaready.
Nominations for the 2013 Golden Slipper Stakes set down for April 7 at Rosehill Gardens, total 1674 down from 2012 last year.
Champion Sire-elect Fastnet Rock has 96 nominated horses followed by freshman hopefuls Northern Meteor (88) and More Than Ready’s own son Sebring on 65.
More Than Ready has proven the dominant Golden Slipper sire in recent years and has 61 rising 2yo’s nominated, which is on par with his successful nominations last year.
“More Than Ready had 78 nominations for the 2012 Golden Slipper which equates to roughly 4 percent of the total first noms,” Vinery’s Conor Phelan explained.
“At second acceptance time, 26 of the 258 horses still remaining were by More Than Ready which is around 10 percent remarkably high for a single stallion.
“Then when the race was reduced to it’s 16 starters, five of the final field were by More Than Ready.”
Among More Than Ready’s 2013 Golden Slipper hopefuls are;
Colt ex Elle Duccio – thus a full brother to Perfectly Ready and close relation to 2000 Golden Slipper winner, Belle Du Jour
Colt ex 2003 Slipper winner, Polar Success
Colt ex Common Smyzter making him a full to More Than Ready’s Singapore based star Better Be The One
Colt ex Oceanfast; a half to Blue DIamond winner and Slipper placegetter Alinghi
Colt ex Group 1 and Magic Millions winner, Regimental Gal
Plus two-year-olds out of VRC oaks winner Magic Miss, blue hen mares Nicola Lass, True Blonde and More Joyous’s dam, Sunday Joy, as well as Samantha Miss’ first foal.
She, and eight others, form part of the unshakeable More Than Ready/Gai Waterhouse combination, prominent examples of which include More Joyous, Sebring, More Strawberries, Raceway and Landing, etc.
“More Than Ready is a fabulous all round sire, but there is no better recognised sire of two-year-olds in the world today than he,” Phelan said.
“He has twice been the Leading Sire of 2YO’s here in Australia and emulated that feat in the US in 2010 when his two-year-olds won both divisions of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Pluck and More Than Real).”
“Pluck is one of More Than Ready’s best ever two-year-olds. His win in the Breeders has to be seen to be believed and the response from breeder’s has been phenominal.
“More Than Ready is an emerging sire of sire’s with several son’s now at Stud,” Phelan added, “Pluck is the ideal Stallion for our style of racing, being a Breeders’ Cup Turf 2yo with his pedigree has ensured an exceptional response in his first season.
