Victoria Derby winner Johnny Get Angry has had his work stepped up and is on track to commence his Melbourne Cup campaign next month.
Johnny Get Angry had his first jump-out at Flemington last Friday over 800m and trainer Denis Pagan is favouring starting the rising four-year-old in the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on August 7.
The other option for Pagan is to wait a week and start Johnny Get Angry in the Group 2 P B Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
Johnny Get Angry has not raced since winning the Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington last October.
Pagan had Johnny Get Angry in work earlier in the year, but after pulling up ‘scratchy’ one morning decided to turn him out and concentrate on the spring.
He said Johnny Get Angry performed as expected in his jump-out on Friday.
“It was a fast trial. He was out the back, but he pleased me and came through it OK,” Pagan said.
“He’ll either start in the Aurie’s Star or the P B Lawrence, but I’ll just see how he goes. I don’t want to be getting too far ahead of myself.
“We’re still a way off that, but that’s the long-term plan at this stage, but it can change, you have to be fluid and he’ll tell us.
“It’s a bit like the pre-season in the footy.”
In favouring the Aurie’s Star, Pagan said the straight 1200m would be a good hit-out for the son of Tavistock.
Pagan said he was thinking of giving Johnny Get Angry three jump-outs prior to his return.
“But if there’s a race, down the straight at Flemington, I’m sure he’ll gain more benefit from that than he would in another 800-metre spin around on a Friday morning,” Pagan said.
“That’s the mentality, but I’ve got to play it by ear.”
