Miss Finland Takes Australia's Golden Slipper

(from australianracing.com)
Trainer David Hayes followed in his famous father's footsteps when Miss Finland took out the $3 million Golden Slipper (AUS-I) at Rosehill Gardens Saturday.

The 2-year old filly by Redoute's Choice motored up the rail inside the final furlong to win by six lengths ahead of Pure Energy and another Hayes-trained horse, Churchill Downs. Miss Finland paid $13.60 in winning the richest event in Sydney racing.

Ridden by Craig Williams, she was slow out of the gates but reeled in the rest of the field in the last two furlongs to give Hayes his first victory in the richest race for 2-year olds in the world.

After the race Hayes could not contain his delight at joining his father, legendary trainer Colin Hayes, as a winning trainer of the event.

"This is one of the races that all trainers want to win," he said. "I've run three or four places before this and never won it, so to win it today is great."

Williams, who sat tight on the filly despite a slow start, said he was always confident she could make up the deficit.

"She was a bit tardy away, but we've got a beautiful machine. She's a Lamborghini," he said. "We hit fourth gear, we didn't even get into fifth."

Hayes and Williams currently lead the Melbourne trainer and jockey standings.

Race favorite Casino Prince, ridden by Jim Cassidy, was last out of the gates and never had a winning chance down the straight.