This story from Racing Editor Chris Scholtz at AAP Racing and Sports (16/3/05).

A Sporting Slipper Bet On Redoutes Choice

Corporate bookmaker Sportingbet Australia has offered odds about a two-year-old by Redoute's Choice winning the $3 million Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.

The Darwin-based firm has responded to the apparent dominance progeny by Redoute's Choice hold over this year's Slipper by framing a market on the outcome of the race.

Sportingbet is offering odds of $1.45 about one of the six two-year-olds by Redoute's Choice winning the Golden Slipper.

Punters who want to back the rest of the filed - 10 runners by eight different sires - against one of the super six by Redoute's Choice can get on at odds of $2.55.

Never has a bookmaker in Australia offered odds about progeny by a sire winning a Group One race, not even in years when Danehill - the sire of five Slipper winners since 1994 - has seemingly had the race there for the taking.

It is ironic that no Danehill two-year-old has made this year's Slipper field while his son Redoute's Choice, with only two crops of racing, has usurped his dominance with six outstanding contenders that dominate the betting markets.

Redoute's Choice will be represented by ruling favourite Snitzel, second favourite Fashions Afield with Stratum and Undoubtedly also under double figures in revised markets after the barrier draw.

Al Samer is at $13 while the Melbourne filly Opportunity has drifted to $17 to be the longest priced of the Redoute's Choice six after drawing the outside gate.

The market clearly indicates that Redoute's Choice may do the unthinkable and sire the trifecta in the world's richest two-year-old race.

Redoute's Choice was hot favourite for the Golden Slipper in 1999 but was a shock scratching on race morning when he was struck down by a severe virus.

The only runner not by Redoute's Choice under double figures is the Encosta De Lago filly Mnemosyne.

This year's Slipper will provide a first as none of the stallions represented has previously sired the race winner.

They include thew 1985 Slipper winner Rory's Jester, sire of Seidnazar.

Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus has his chance to make his mark on the race with three first crop runners - the outsiders Flying Pegasus, Dr Green and Poetic Genius.

It's a year for the new sires as More Than Ready and Iglesia are other first season stallions with Slipper runners.

The others sires represented are Snippets, Red Ransom and Gilded Time.