Ilovemyself in Slipper trial
VICTORIAN trainer Greg Eurell has made a flying visit to Sydney to watch Ilovemyself in a gallop at Rosehill ahead of the colt’s late bid to earn a Golden Slipper start via the Pago Pago Stakes.
Cranbourne-based Eurell was happy with Ilovemyself’s gallop on the course proper yesterday and said he was on target for Saturday’s Group 2 Pago Pago (1200m).
A big performance on Saturday from Ilovemyself, who won a Listed 1000m race at Flemington last Saturday week on debut, could earn him a start in the $3.5 million Golden Slipper a week later.
The colt’s owner/breeder Neville Murdoch would need to pay a $150,000 late entry for the Slipper if he qualifies.
“He would have to win to help us bounce into the Slipper, for two reasons,” said Eurell, who would dearly love to snare the $92,450 first prize on Saturday.
“One is to obviously get the automatic entry and be free from the ballot, but it’s also a nice little lift with the prizemoney to help you pay that late entry fee getting into it.
“He would certainly have to win or be desperately unlucky and run second to push us over the line.
“And if he misses out, we’ll put him away and get him ready for the spring.”
Ilovemyself finished strongly to win at Flemington and he is the early favourite for the Pago Pago.
Eurell is thrilled with the way Ilovemyself has settled in at Rosehill since arriving on Sunday and he worked on the course proper on Tuesday with a Gerald Ryan-trained horse.
With Damien Oliver riding Mr Quickie in Saturday’s $5 million All-Star Mile in Melbourne, Nash Rawiller has been booked for the Pago Pago.