Chris Waller won last year’s Golden Slipper with a son of Snitzel on the back-up after winning the Pago Pago Stakes and he is optimistic Gatsby’s put himself in a position to do likewise.
The $220,000 Inglis Easter yearling is favourite for Saturday’s 1200-metre event at Rosehill, which is one of two $250,000 Group 3 last-gasp qualifiers for the Golden Slipper.
Waller won last year’s Pago Pago with Shinzo, who then won the Golden Slipper and the Hall of Fame trainer is excited to see what improvement Gatsby’s has taken from his win over 1100m at Canterbury on February 23.
“There’s big talk on him, big talk,” Waller said of Gatsby’s, who is out of the Forestry mare Miss Charming, which makes him a brother to Group 2 winner Letzbeglam.
“He’s done everything to please us at home, James (McDonald) likes him, rates him highly, and the form out of the (debut) race stacks up.
“It’s a nice race, a similar path to what Shinzo went in last year; won the Pago Pago then won the (Slipper).”
Roselyn’s Star, the horse Gatsby’s defeated by three quarters of a length at Canterbury, obliterated his rivals at Randwick on Wednesday, while distant third placegetter Silmarillion was narrowly beaten in last Saturday’s Group 2 Reisling Stakes.
James Mcdonald retains the ride aboard Gatsby’s in the Pago Pago but Nash Rawiller is on standby to ride in the Golden Slipper with McDonald booked to partner Switzerland.
Gatsby’s is one of two Waller-trained runners in the Pago Stakes with Duvana, a colt by Dundeel out of Group 1 winner Stay With Me, to continue his progression towards the Group 1 ATC Sires’ (1400m).
“Lovely colt, he’s drawn wide again, which is a negative, but he’ll be finishing off strong,” Waller said.
“If he’s not already the horse to talk about for the Sires Produce, I’m sure he will be after Saturday.”
Jason Collett will take the ride aboard Duvana, who has drawn barrier 10 in the field of 12.
