The market for this year’s $5million Group I ATC Golden Slipper was thrown upside down, shaken and stirred after the running of the Group III ATC Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday with victory going to blueblood first starter Hidrix.
The race favourite and also Golden Slipper favourite going into the race was the Michael Freedman trained Stay Inside colt Incognito, who was last seen winning the Group III ATC Breeders Plate back in the spring.
Incognito had two recent trials to have him ready to go, but when Tommy Berry asked him for an effort at the furlong he failed to quicken as anticipated.
The Chris Waller trained first starters Hidrix and Confederation went straight past Incognito with Zac Lloyd steering the grey to stylish length and three-quarter win. Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Confederation held second with Stay Inside colt Eviction Notice in third spot while Incognito faded to be fifth.
Hidrix was a $1.7million Inglis Easter purchase for Chris Waller Racing / Mulcaster Bloodstock / B2B Thoroughbreds from Coolmore and is the full brother to Group I ATC Flight Stakes winner Apocalyptic.
Heading into the race Chris Waller believed he had two nice colts, but both exceeded expectation with the ‘no show’ from the race favourite.
“They've both got bright futures. I said, 'ride them to finish off' and that's how they were ridden and they finished off very well,” said Waller, who has a share in the ownership of both colts.
“Hidrix is a lovely horse. Ricky Surace (B2B Thoroughbreds, in whose colours he runs) and his son, they're smart and astute judges of horses and they liked him and we liked him.
“We joined up and got some good people into the ownership. We're going to have some fun.
"We have given him two educational trials. We haven't asked him to do anything. What you saw today is more than what I've seen."
Zac Lloyd was having his first sit on Hidrix and came away impressed.
"He's a lovely colt. He's just bombproof, he does everything right,” he said.
"In his trials, it has looked like he has improved with each trial. The last one (trial) he had a good hitout which mentally did him the world of good.
“He travelled really well today, he was extremely push-button. It's good to repay the owners of this expensive colt with a nice win first-time out.''
Bookmakers reacted quickly after the running of the Canonbury with Hidrix elevated to be equal favourite at $8 for the Golden Slipper, while Incognito, who pulled up reportedly making a gargling sound eased out the gate to $18.
Hidrix was bred by Kate Nivison of Etak Thoroughbreds and she retains an interest in his ownership along with many Waller stable clients and Newgate Farm, who stands his sire Extreme Choice.
A full brother to $1million earning G1 winner Apocalyptic, Hidrix is the third winner from three foals to race for Shadow, an unraced Medaglia D’Oro (USA) grand-daughter of dual Group I winner Virage de Fortune, whose grand-dam is the great champion Emancipation.
Shadow was bred by Godolphin and on-sold for $140,000 to Mitchell Bloodstock at the 2021 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale when in foal to Harry Angel (IRE), so has proven to be an outstanding investment for Etak Thoroughbreds.
Shadow produced a filly by Pierro last year and was then covered by Extreme Choice.
Hidrix is the 18th stakes-winner for Extreme Choice, who has 11 entries for Inglis Easter.
