Godolphin top Slipper first acceptances

First acceptances for the 2017 Golden Slipper have jumped by 40 on last year’s figure, the Australian Turf Club says.

There are 1501 two-year-olds accepted for the $3.5 million race to be run at Rosehill in March, up from 1461 at the same stage last year.

Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin tops the list of entries with 113 still in the running.

Gai Waterhouse her new training partner Adrian Bott, are next on the list with 102 with Waterhouse aiming for a seventh Slipper.

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Other trainers with significant numbers are Peter and Paul Snowden (77), Mick Price (74) and David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig (71).

Premier trainer Chris Waller had his career-first pre-Christmas two-year-old winner with Luiza at Randwick on Saturday and she is among 64 from the stable to have been entered, while Hawkes Racing has 45 first acceptances.

Snitzel is the sire with the most acceptances at 90, followed by Sebring and Pierro with 70 apiece, Fastnet Rock (60) and All Too Hard (59).

“The world’s richest two-year-old race continues to be recognised as Australia’s peak juvenile race, and the strength of the number of first acceptances supports that,” ATC executive general manager of racing James Heddo said.