Despite Ciaron Maher’s vast achievements throughout racing, a Golden Slipper still stands as an unchecked goal.
Darby Racing director Scott Darby is optimistic that Sweet Embrace Stakes conqueror Spicy Miss will rectify that during Saturday’s action at Rosehill.
“We did tell him after the Sweet Embrace we could fix that for him,” Darby quipped.
“I’m really happy for Ciaron to have a runner in it as well, and I think we’re a really good show from that barrier (five).”
Acquired for $150,000 at Magic Millions as a yearling, Spicy Miss hails from accomplished sire Trapeze Artist and has been consistently strong, recording a win alongside two seconds in three races.
She trailed only Revengeance in the Golden Gift (1100m) in November, then was second to Agrarian Girl upon resumption in the Lonhro Plate (1000m) on February 7, before racing prominently and prevailing in the Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m).
Approaching the $5 million Golden Slipper (1200m) on a three-week break, she has gate five, a draw successful twice in 18 years with Lady Of Camelot (2023) and Sebring (2008).
Darby knows Slipper victory from syndicating 2017 champ She Will Reign, following Yankee Rose’s runner-up finish to Capitalist the prior year.
Lead-ups varied for those fillies—She Will Reign through the Silver Slipper (1100m), Yankee Rose fresh—and Spicy Miss mirrors the latter more closely, per Darby.
“Not She Will Reign vibes, more Yankee Rose vibes,” he said.
“She’s got a similar barrier and similar to Yankee Rose, she is very tough.”
Golden Slipper exploits by She Will Reign and Yankee Rose elevated Darby Racing to elite status among Australian syndicators, now in year 18.
Later successes encompass Ozzmosis in the 2023 Coolmore Stud Stakes, Overpass with two The Quokka wins, and Caballus in the recent Newmarket Handicap.
At Rosehill, alongside Spicy Miss, they run Sydney Cup joint favourite Campaldino in the N E Manion Cup (2400m) and Within The Law in the Birthday Card Stakes (1200m), evolving greatly from Darby’s early days peddling shares to pals.
“I was introduced to racing at sixteen and fell into syndication a little bit later by syndicating a few on the side to friends. I didn’t know you needed a licence at that point,” Darby said.
“Darby Racing really took off in 2016, the year Yankee Rose ran second in the Slipper, and then we won it the year later with She Will Reign.
“After that, it was just a huge, upward curve.”
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