As the Golden Slipper draws closer and The Championships loom just around the corner, Sydney’s autumn form is starting to sort the genuine players from the horses whose quotes may be getting a touch too short.
Dean Watling has gone back through the key form lines from the weekend and identified the runners punters should be buying into, those worth holding for now, and a few he’s happy to pot as the carnival heats up.
Warwoven is the headline horse in the sell column, with Watling raising doubts over his Golden Slipper credentials, while a trio of runners have stamped themselves as genuine contenders for some of Sydney’s biggest races over the coming weeks.
Buy
Militarize
Proper flying this time in. Backed off the map early and got the right setup to run a huge race. He looked the lay of the day on Saturday. Poor gate, wet-to-dry conditions, but his run without much luck was huge again. He is bang on track for the Doncaster now. Look out if he draws well and gets a wet track.
Flying For Fun
Returned with a career-peak rating of 99.5 WFA (Top Rate Ratings – Dan O’Sullivan). It was a very patient ride by Lloyd, but once out, her electric turn of speed came to the fore. She didn’t quite hit her straps last prep, but she looks to be in terrific order this time in. Onto bigger things now.
Flying For Fun flies home to take the G3 Maurice McCarten ✈️
Bryce Heys gets his 100th career win with the daughter of his star sprinter Speith ❤️💛💙@zaclloydx pic.twitter.com/45C8oD40vq
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) March 14, 2026
Soul Of Spain
Bang on for a Sydney Cup. Back-to-back smart efforts when finding the line strongly late, tactically versatile and has a turn of speed. A nice stayer on the rise.
Back-to-back Sky High Stakes for Vauban! 💪@clarkyhk @GaiWaterhouse1 pic.twitter.com/dJlAkJWgt5
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 14, 2026
Hold
King’s Secret
Great first-up run in a high-rating edition of the Maurice McCarten Stakes. Up to 1200m now with a slightly stronger tempo suits him well. Not sure he’s a star, but he can win a race this prep, no doubt.
Panova
Not sure she’s come back as well as we all would have hoped. That said, it was a much better second-up run in the Phar Lap Stakes. She got back to a plain position in the run but reeled off the best 800m to 400m of the race. On track for the 2000m Vinery in two weeks.
Sell
Tonkin
Nabbed late fresh before a plainer run here second-up when finding the 1-1 and seemingly getting every possible chance. Maybe back to Melbourne and back to 1000m?
West Of Swindon
Reached his ceiling for mine. Solid last start in the Australian Guineas and only even here in the Phar Lap Stakes. Needs a lot to go right and a drop in class to win again.
Warwoven
Perfect ride here, stripped fitter second-up but was also fading late. A 96.6 WFA rating (Top Rate Ratings – Dan O’Sullivan) suggests he’ll need sharp improvement off that run to win a Golden Slipper. He looks under the odds now given the setup and the fact he’ll have to back up into the big one.
Warwoven is BACK ‼️
He books his Golden Slipper ticket in style, winning the Pago Pago Stakes with authority for Rachel King!@RachelK11 @BBakerRacing pic.twitter.com/SysdD2wdAg
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) March 14, 2026
Manaal
Looked to have every chance but failed to sprint off a strong tempo. That’s now back-to-back runs where she has looked to have her chance but failed to win. She’s starting short in these races too and may need a wet deck.
