New Zealand Group One winner Banchee could be a late entry for the $3.5 million Golden Slipper on Easter Saturday.Owner Sam Kelt will have to pay $150,000 to put the filly in the race but trainer John Sargent believes it could be worth the risk.The half-sister to top three-year-old filly Katie Lee lived up to her breeding to win Saturday's Group One Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie, holding off an unlucky Cellarmaster and Jimmy Choux to win by a head.Australian visitor Sister Havana finished
New Zealand Group One winner Banchee could be a late entry for the $3.5 million Golden Slipper on Easter Saturday.
Owner Sam Kelt will have to pay $150,000 to put the filly in the race but trainer John Sargent believes it could be worth the risk.
The half-sister to top three-year-old filly Katie Lee lived up to her breeding to win Saturday's Group One Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie, holding off an unlucky Cellarmaster and Jimmy Choux to win by a head.
Australian visitor Sister Havana finished eighth of the 13 runners.
"She's probably the best two-year-old I have trained," Sargent said.
"It (Diamond) wasn't quite her race - she's best settling back and coming home from there but we had to use her number one barrier draw."
Banchee is nominated for New Zealand's other Group One juvenile race, the Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni on April 3, the same day as the Slipper.
No New Zealand two-year-old has ever won the Golden Slipper and Sargent said her best chance would be to get back and sprint home if the pace was fast in front.
The $150,000 late entry fee is due on March 29.
Other Sydney options, in which New Zealand horses have had more success, are the AJC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) on April 10 and the Champagne Stakes (1600m) on April 24.