‘WE’RE NOT SCARED’

McDonald eyes off Hayasugi Diamond-Slipper double

Blue Diamond winner Hayasugi has “improved again” as trainer Clinton McDonald eyes the Group 1 Golden Slipper on Saturday at Rosehill.

Crack Sydney colts Storm Boy, Switzerland and Straight Charge dominate the early betting but McDonald cannot fault the Victorian raider Hayasugi, to be ridden by Jamie Kah.

Hayasugi could become only the sixth two-year-old to complete the Blue DiamondGolden Slipper double and first since Pierro in 2011.

Bounding Away (1986) and Courtza (1989) are the only other fillies to achieve the feat.

Crystal Lily (2010), who finished sixth in the Blue Diamond, is the last Victorian two-year-old to win the Golden Slipper.

“We’re going there thinking we can win the race,” McDonald said.

“We’re not scared of anything in the race, I wouldn’t swap her, we think she’s improved again and she’ll be right in the thick of things.”

Hayasugi is a $15 chance with TAB behind Storm Boy ($2.30), Switzerland ($4.50), Straight Charge ($9) and Blue Diamond runner-up Lady Of Camelot ($13).

Other Victorian-based Golden Slipper contenders include Dublin Down ($34), the Group 3 Pago Pago Stakes winner last Saturday in Sydney and Eneeza ($34).

“I think she can beat them,” McDonald said.

“She’s got the credentials on the board and what she’s done, winning the Blue Diamond Preview, Prelude and Diamond, only a special horse can do that and she showed she can.

“In those three runs she never had an easy time, she did it the tough way, we look forward to the day we can draw a barrier and ride a race, I think she’ll be better again.”

Hayasugi, translated to “very fast” in Japanese, travelled no closer than three wide in her Blue Diamond series sweep from barriers eight, 11 and 10 respectively.

Hayasugi will gallop at Cranbourne on Monday and then travel to Sydney on Tuesday night, arriving Wednesday morning at Ciaron Maher’s Bong Bong training property, about 90 minutes southwest of Sydney.

“It’s a bit more like the Cranbourne environment, so that’s what I want,” McDonald said.

“She’s used to having a float trip so I wanted to keep everything the same for her.

“Walking over (from a training complex to the racecourse) sometimes horses can stir up when they’re not used to an environment like that.

“So we’ll put her on the float, get her settled down, settle the nerves and cruise in.”