Billy Slater has achieved more than almost anyone in Australian sport.
From playing Rugby League for the Melbourne Storm, Queensland and representing Australia – not to mention coaching his state to another Origin series win this year.
But on Wednesday he achieved something different but impressive – a filly he bought, broke in and educated – won a city race at Caulfield.
Slater told Betsy he had his eye on the filly in 2023, now known as Cooly, with trainer Peter Moody paying $180,000 for her at a Magic Millions sale.
Moody and Slater have been mates for years, with Slater calling the master trainer and letting him know he wanted the filly.
Cooly won her maiden at Caulfield Heath on Wednesday in impressive fashion with Luke Nolen on board.
“When I got her home from the Magic Millions as a yearling, I actually did the majority of her education at home, and obviously sent her to Julien Welsh to finish her off through the barriers,” he told Betsy.
“I was riding her, trotting and cantering her around our arena and just giving her the time that I like to put into horses and give them the education to handle the moments as good as possible and if nothing else, it helps them along their journey as horses in general.”
“So it sort of makes it a bit more satisfying as well that you’ve put that time in it.”
Caulfield Race 3 | Cooly
The 3YO filly breaks through for her maiden victory for @moodyracingpgm to give Luke Nolen an early double 🔥
🥇 Tipped by @HkHutchi on the Tipping Hub
📺 Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app
REPLAYS: https://t.co/ZIa4a02wC0 pic.twitter.com/vP7eTOJKA4— Racing.com (@Racing) November 19, 2025
Slater famously rode track work for Gai Waterhouse before smartly heading back to Queensland to concentrate on football. He was also a popular member of the Melbourne Cup coverage conducting post-race interviews on horseback.
Slater may have competed on the world stage with his footy, but he admitted to pre-race nerves on Wednesday.
“You get nervous when it means something to you. You know you want your horses to do well and when we bought this girl at the Magic Millions sale on the Gold Coast nearly two years ago now with Peter Moody, your vision back then is you want your horses to go on and develop and be educated and get to this point where you’re winning a race at Caulfield.”
“I suppose with that comes a bit of nerves because once they go out there, it’s up to Lukey Nolen and you’ve got no control over anything. So I was a little bit nervous and that was a good moment.”
Racing has always been in Slater’s blood and his friendship with Moody began during his playing days. As his friendship with Moody developed [also a proud Queenslander], Slater would often brave the early mornings to watch the good horses work.
“I sort of connected with Moods probably when I was still playing,” he told Betsy.
“When he was training at Caulfield and he invited me down to come out and watch track work and I did that. Quite a few times where I’d go out in the mornings and sit in the tower with him and just watch horses.”
“I had no horses with him or anything like that, I just love horses and love the industry. And being a fellow Queenslander, he looked after me. He lives over the hill from us now and we’ve sort of got a good little relationship there. And it was good that we could hit the winner’s circle together as well.”
Slater and his wife Nicole run a small breeding operation and have a number of young horses on their Victorian farm, with the League great recently foaling a Maurice filly himself.
“We just had a nice little Maurice filly at home, and we’ve got a Street Boss colt on the ground as well,” he said.
“Yearling-wise, we’ve got an Autumn Sun colt and a Shamus Award colt this year, and we’ve just got a few racing interests as well, whether they’re racing with a view to breed later on like Cooly is or whether we’ve kept a small share in a horse that we’ve sold at the Magic Millions in the past.”
“I’ve definitely jumped into the business side of the thoroughbred industry more now that I’ve finished playing and I’ve got more time.”
“We live out on our farm and we run our farm and we do it all our ourselves so, like I said we foaled down a little Maurice filly only eight days ago and we feed up morning and night and it’s all run by us so we enjoy that side of things.”
Back to Cooly – Slater confirmed he enjoys a punt but didn’t back her on Wednesday. But he said watching his filly win after their journey together was another feeling all together.
“Without doubt it’s a different feeling. You’ve been a part of her journey and she’s a pretty level headed horse, nothing seems to faze her and I think that’s probably a little bit of her nature but you’d like to think that the time that you’ve put into her and the education that you’ve given her has certainly contributed,” he said.
“It just makes it a little bit more satisfying when you get moments like this.”
Caulfield Race 3 | Cooly
The 3YO filly breaks through for her maiden victory for @moodyracingpgm to give Luke Nolen an early double 🔥
🥇 Tipped by @HkHutchi on the Tipping Hub
📺 Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app
REPLAYS: https://t.co/ZIa4a02wC0 pic.twitter.com/vP7eTOJKA4— Racing.com (@Racing) November 19, 2025
