I Did It Again is targeting the Coolmore Stud Stakes this Spring
Trainer Greg Eurell still has aspirations to target a Group One race with promising three-year-old I Did It Again this spring, despite shelving Caulfield Guineas plans.
I Did It Again made a winning debut in a 1200m handicap for two-year-olds in July at Caulfield before attention turned to spring.
Eurell was looking at last Saturday’s Danehill Stakes (1200m) for I Did It Again’s return with a view to progressing to a Caulfield Guineas over 1600m.
But he adjusted his sights after deciding the gelding appeared best suited kept to sprints for the time being.
“I think he’s certainly come back a lot more on the ball than what he was before his first-up run,” Eurell said.
“Before his first-up run he was certainly giving us the indication he was very relaxed and would probably be able to get out to a mile.
“But since the run he’s really switched on. He’s not doing anything silly, but it’s just turned him into a bit more of a racehorse.
“I thought there’s no point heading in a direction that may not quite be the right way to go at the moment.”
Eurell opted to wait for Saturday’s Fight Cancer Foundation Plate (1100m) at Caulfield as a spring stepping stone.
The trainer believes I Did It Again has a lot of ability and despite barrier 11 of 13 expects him to run very well on Saturday.
“If he bounces out of this OK we’d probably head to the Blue Sapphire Stakes and ultimately the grand final would be the Coolmore Stud Stakes if he was going well enough,” Eurell said.
The Group One Coolmore (1200m) for three-year-olds is at Flemington in early November.
Eurell bred I Did It Again and the three-year-old is owned by the trainer’s wife.
I Did It Again won an 800m trial at Cranbourne on September 4 by 2-1/2 lengths.
Eurell said the gelding indicated he “wanted to get on with the job” that day which made him wonder whether he would settle well enough to stretch over 1400m and 1600m at the moment.
“Going the way we’re going, I think it will work really well,” he said.
