Dean Watling has cast his eye over the 2026 Golden Slipper and ranked the leading chances with just over a week to go before the world’s richest two-year-old race.
DEAN WATLING’S GOLDEN SLIPPER POWER RANKINGS
| Rank | Horse | Market | Rider |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chayan | $6.00 | Craig Williams |
| 2 | Streisand | $11.00 | Ben Melham |
| 3 | Guest House | $13.00 | Zac Lloyd |
| 4 | Central Europe | $9.00* | Likely James McDonald |
| 5 | Paradoxium | $5.00 | Jason Collett |
| 6 | Warwoven | $9.00* | Rachel King |
| 7 | Closer To Free | $11.00** | Jamie Melham |
| 8 | Agrarian Girl | $26.00 | Tim Clark |
| 9 | Stretan Ruler | $9.00 | Chad Schofield |
| 10 | Campione D’Italia | $15.00 | Damien Lane |
*Needs prize money to make the field.
**Not nominated, needs to pay late fee.
We are just over a week out from the 2026 Golden Slipper and the picture has become a lot clearer over the past two weeks, with the final pieces of the puzzle coming this weekend in the Group 2 Pago Pago and Group 2 Magic Night, races that Shinzo in 2023 and Kiamichi in 2019 both won before taking out the Slipper on the quick back-up.
There is still plenty to play out in regard to the order of entry, with 16 runners and four emergencies to make up the field. Central Europe has no room for error and must win the Pago Pago this Saturday to gain a start in the race. Warwoven is also expected to go around in the Pago Pago. He does not need to win but likely needs to run somewhere around third at worst.
WATCH: Central Europe and Warwoven in the Skyline Stakes
We will also likely see the Black Opal winner Music Time pay the late entry fee and run in the Slipper.
For the fillies, Closer To Free has to pay the late nomination fee and will likely do so. She had a sharp trial on Tuesday, March 10, when leading throughout. Agrarian Girl is touch and go. She looks right on the cusp, sitting 14th in the order of entry, with the Pago Pago and Magic Night winners earning automatic entry into the race. She will need a lot to go her way to make the field.
Gin Twist currently sits around 18th on the order of entry. It has been confirmed she will not run in the Magic Night, so the camp will be sweating on a start and hoping a couple come out of the field.
As it stands, the win of Chayan in last week’s Riesling Stakes was the best two-year-old performance I have seen this season. She brings a dominant mix of superior Victorian form as well as having come through one of the key Sydney lead-ups, the Riesling or Todman, while also profiling like the right starting price type for this race. I expect her to start favourite on the day, with Craig Williams booked to ride.
WATCH: Chayan’s dominant Riesling win
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