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By Ray Hickson

It’s not in trainer Kacy Fogden’s character to let the excitement of having a live chance in the $5 million Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) get in the way of the need for the job to be finished.

Trainer Kacy Fogden (Pic: Steve Hart)

So she apologises for sounding “a bit plain” when talking about unbeaten colt Best Of Bordeaux.

It’s a case, really, of letting the horse do the talking but he’s still considered a little under the radar after strong wins in the Canonbury Stakes and Silver Slipper.

“There’s been a lot of work go into it, the education and groundwork that goes in last year to get us to this week,’’ she said.

“It’s pretty amazing really. You put the wheels in motion months ago for this week, and now it’s here. Part of me will be happy when it’s over.

“I just don’t think there’s any point letting the nerves and excitement get to you. I don’t want to get too disappointed.”

Fogden knows she can’t be disappointed with the work she’s done from securing the horse bred by Gerry Harvey for $425,000, and convincing him to retain 10 per cent, to training the only unbeaten colt in the Golden Slipper field.

She’s convinced Best Of Bordeaux, $9 with TAB on Wednesday, isn’t going to be one of those two-year-olds that doesn’t live up to their early promise and points to his frame as evidence the best is yet to come, regardless of the result on Saturday.

“His resilience is what’s got him this far. Whatever he’s done to date has been an absolute bonus,’’ she said.

“Whatever happens on the weekend will be but I’m looking forward to him getting out and having a spell and strengthening.

“He’s not the biggest horse so it’ll be nice for him to catch up to his workmates physically.

“There’s too much scope when you look at him. Even at the sales he was a nice type but had a lot of frame to fill into. Once he catches up he’ll be a beautiful horse.”

The colt will carry the Aquis colours in the Golden Slipper, he wore Harvey’s silks in the Silver Slipper as the deal between the owners is to alternate.

Although Best Of Bordeaux recorded a slower time than the fillies on debut when he won the Group 3 Canonbury Stakes (1100m) by 4-1/2 lengths he backed it up by winning the Group 2 Silver Slipper three weeks later.

Four horses have completed the Silver Slipper-Golden Slipper double in the past decade – Pierro (2012), Mossfun (2014), She Will Reign (2017) and Farnan (2020).

“He was branded as just a front running horse after that Canonbury win so it was nice to see him do it in the Silver Slipper,’’ Fogden said.

“And he did it on what was a questionable part of the track.”

He won a barrier trial on the synthetic track at Warwick Farm on March 11, a couple of days later than planned due to the trials being postponed, and he did it the tough way beating older horses after tracking wide in the 1175m gallop.

Best Of Bordeaux wins the Silver Slipper

Fogden said the trial topped him off nicely and Tuesday’s barrier draw means Sam Clipperton shouldn’t have to ride the horse out of his comfort zone.

“It took us back another gallop but he is pretty clean winded so it wasn’t the worst thing,’’ she said.

“The main thing was that he had the trial. You can’t be going into a Slipper underdone.

“The barrier gives us a few options, we’ll leave it to Sam. It doesn’t force us to have to work too much early and it doesn’t necessarily mean we’re going to get stuck behind horses.

“He worked nicely (Tuesday morning) and he was very fresh after his pick. It’s all up to him now.”

All the entries, form and replays for Saturday's Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill