Singo fun and games

But Conners filly is no joke

A promising filly named following a comical phone call with larrikin owner John Singleton could have gun trainer Clarry Conners dreaming of another Golden Slipper tilt after Friday.

Mrs Maree will make her highly anticipated debut for Conners’ yard at Canterbury Park as she looks to lay down an autumn marker for the stable.

The daughter of Written Tycoon is raced by longtime client Singleton, with whom Conners combined to win the 2000 Golden Slipper with Belle De Jour.

Their latest filly had remained nameless leading into her first trial before a phone call with Conners’ wife Maree.

“Maree rang him up and said ‘John, you still don’t have a name for that filly’ and he rung back and said ‘I just named it Mrs Maree’,” Conners said.

“When he rings me now, he asks me how ‘Maree’ is going and I tell him both are well.”

Singleton famously shouted the bar when Belle Du Jour won an amazing Slipper.

It was Conners’ fourth win in the race after he had first claimed the Slipper with twoyear-old triple crown winner Tierce in 1991 before Burst completed the same feat for the stable a year later.

Prowl delivered Conners his third Slipper victory in 1998.

While the Canterbury Park meeting on Friday is a long way from the Slipper, Conners has been impressed with what he’s seen from Mrs Maree in the lead-up to her debut.

The daughter of Written Tycoon has won both trials this preparation at Wyong and Rosehill Gardens before her debut in the Bivouac First Yearlings Maiden Handicap (1100m).

“She is a very kind filly and is very athletic looking,” Conners said. “She is a dream to train. There are no tricks to her, she is just so easy to train and she shows a fair bit of potential.”

Mrs Maree was snapped up for $500,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for Singleton.

Even before her first race start, Mrs Maree is a $51 chance for this year’s Golden Slipper.