Gollan targets Slipper
Southern autumn raid
TONY Gollan has signed off on a Golden Slipper assault for Skirt The Law with the words: “She is awfully good.”
In the wake of scoring his first Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic, Gollan took a few days to ponder the future for his unbeaten boom filly.
The Golden Slipper, where the Queensland youngster is now an $11 chance after spanking her rivals in the Magic Millions, always appeared to be a logical target.
But Gollan wanted to make sure. He has now given the green light for the filly, who will return to his Eagle Farm stables on Thursday after a short break, to tangle with the big guns in the Golden Slipper at Rosehill on March 18.
“She is awfully good and there’s only room for improvement in her, so I’m looking forward to it,” Gollan said.
“At this point in time, I’m pretty keen to run her in the (Group 2) Sweet Embrace Stakes at Randwick three weeks prior to the Slipper.
“I probably won’t jump her out or trial her beforehand.
“I will probably just work her and then go to Randwick (Sweet Embrace) and then Rosehill (Golden Slipper).
“The two-year-old formlines are going to be coming from everywhere until the last couple of weeks before the Slipper when they converge and we know a lot more about things then.”
Given Gollan’s longstanding stature as Queensland’s champion trainer, it is somewhat surprising Skirt The Law will be just his third Slipper runner. Ef Troop finished 12th in the 2018 Golden Slipper won by Estijaab while Vincere Volare finished 13th in Kiamichi’s Slipper in 2019.
“If for any reason I need to change the program for Skirt The Law I can, perhaps to instead run her two weeks out from the Slipper (in the Reisling Stakes),” Gollan said.
“But I’m thinking that it probably suits us well to go to the Sweet Embrace.
“I’d imagine Ryan (Maloney) will ride the filly, I’d be pretty keen to leave things the way they are.”
Other Gollan horses who could be heading south for autumn include Zoustyle (Group 1 Oakleigh Plate) and Baller (Group 1 Lightning Stakes and Group 1 Newmarket). Isotope and Nettuno will also trial in the coming weeks and could be considered for southern tilts.
Meanwhile, Group 1 winning jockey Nikita Beriman is set to temporarily return to Melbourne for a Blue Diamond Stakes campaign for impressive Queensland filly Party For Two.
Party For Two, trained by Damien Batters on the Sunshine Coast, recorded a thumping 7½-length win on the Sunshine Coast on New Year’s Day and followed with 2½ lengths at Doomben last Saturday. Beriman, a former Victorian back from retirement, booted home a double at Doomben last Saturday.