Victorian rules to stamp Slipper ticket as Freedman wins feature double

Stretan Ruler went from Blue Diamond emergency to Golden Slipper contender with a commanding Silver Slipper winner at Rosehill on Saturday. SportRacingHorse racingVictorian rules to stamp Slipper ticket as Freedman wins feature doubleBy Craig Kerry February 21, 2026 — 5.40pmSaveLog in, register or subscribe to save articles for later.Save articles for laterAdd articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.Got itNormal text sizeLarger text sizeVery large text sizeAdvertisementPakenham trainer Phillip Stokes couldn’t remember the last time he was at Rosehill, and he had planned to take Stretan Ruler back home after Saturday’s Silver Slipper.Both, though, were feeling right at home after the Wild Ruler colt dominated the Sydney two-year-olds to stamp himself a Golden Slipper contender.Stretan Ruler romps in to win the Silver Slipper at Rosehill.Credit: Getty ImagesStretan Ruler, winless from two starts, both at Caulfield, started the day at $101 (TAB) for the $5 million Slipper and was into second elect at $11 after winning the qualifier by three and a half lengths.Chad Schofield put the $5.50 chance in the one-one and he took over at the 200m. Eviction Notice and Hidrix filled the minors.“We didn’t know how to line up the form to be honest with you, so it looks like the Melbourne horses might have the edge over the Sydney horses,” Stokes quipped.Stretan Ruler started the week as first emergency in Saturday’s $2 million Blue Diamond at Caulfield and ultimately missed a start because of Stokes’ call to head to the group 2 at Rosehill.He now goes to the Todman Stakes in two weeks at Randwick with a spot in the Slipper assured. He would be Stokes’ first Slipper runner and he said the $220,000 yearling buy could get better.“I thought he was going to be there today, his first-up run he was found wanting,” Stokes said of the fourth in the Blue Diamond Prelude.“He hadn’t raced for nearly eight weeks, he’s a gross-doing colt and I think he just needed it … blinkers have obviously sparked him, too.Advertisement“I just think the trip away now, he’ll just take a lot of benefit from this. It’s his first way of going the Sydney way, too, and he’s conducted himself well there.“I was going to take him home, but I think I’ll leave him here now and just play it safe and just acclimatise to this hot weather.“I came here today and I couldn’t remember the last time I’ve actually been to Rosehill. I got lost, but I know where we are now.”Steely Ninja poised for GuineasTrainer Michael Freedman believes a more mature Ninja can run a strong mile in the group 1 Randwick Guineas after a commanding on-pace effort to win the Hobartville Stakes (1400m) as part of a group 2 double for the stable.A luckless, wide-running second in the Magic Millions Guineas (1400m) last month, Ninja faced a small but class field at Rosehill and proved his class. Tommy Berry raced Ninja second to Shangri La Boy before he took over at the 300m and kicked late to beat Napoleonic by one and a half lengths. Autumn Boy was a half-head third.“The horse’s racing manners have now come of age,” Freedman said.“If anything, that trip to Queensland has done him the world of good just mentally. He’s come back a much more sensible, much more mature horse where you can ride him wherever you want.“I do [think he will run a mile]. He was pretty strong there at the end and he probably ran a mile at the Magic Millions Guineas. He gives me every indication he will.”Freedman-trained Cinsault then showed superior fitness in the next, the group 2 Millie Fox Stakes, to hold off resuming $2.05 favourite Lazzura and complete a huge jump in grade.The four-year-old Godolphin mare, coming out of benchmark 72 and 78 wins, lifted to beat Lazzura by a long head and give Schofield a treble overall and group 2 double on the day.O’Shea blasts scratching callTrainer John O’Shea blasted the decision of Racing NSW vets to scratch unbeaten Bev’s Nine behind the gates before race three, calling it “the greatest mismatch I’ve ever heard of in my 25 years as a trainer”.O’Shea and co-trainer Tom Charlton fronted stewards after Bev’s Nine was declared lame in the off hind and denied a run. Stewards said in the inquiry that Bev’s Nine was seen as not having a normal gait in the parade ring but was allowed to go to the barriers, where it was then scratched.O’Shea disagreed, saying there was “nothing wrong” with the horse, which had been checked by vets three times during the week, as was the stable’s procedure.“To have that horse scratched behind the gates lame is the greatest mismatch I’ve ever heard of in my 25 years as a trainer,” O’Shea said.“Where does that leave us? Do I say to the owners, this horse will not be allowed to run in NSW because the vet determines it has an abnormal gait in the walk?“We’ve got no recourse here. So at the end of it, when the gait doesn’t change and the horse presents exactly the same next week, and then you guys allow it to run, we just go, oh well guys, sorry about that, to the owners.”Stewards said they had a responsibility to ensure all horses were fit to run and were guided by their vet’s