By Ray Hickson
Trainer Tony Gollan is doing his best to keep the buzz around unbeaten filly Skirt The Law to a minimum but hopes to emerge from Saturday’s Randwick meeting with confirmation he has a live Golden Slipper chance.
The Magic Millions winner makes her Sydney debut in the Group 2 $250,000 Catanach’s Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) where her place as second favourite for the Slipper goes on the line.
Gollan, though, just wants to get over Saturday’s hurdle, which will be her first trip away from home, before entertaining thoughts of a Golden Slipper win.
“She’s certainly the best juvenile I’ve brought to Sydney, she’s the best juvenile I’ve trained,’’ he said.
“We’ve been able to keep a good lid on her all the way through and let her do the talking. Let’s just see what Saturday brings.
“We’ve obviously got a good opinion of her, she showed them on Magic Millions Day the sort of quality horse she is and I hope she takes that form into Saturday.”
It’s been five weeks since Skirt The Law made it three from three with her Gold Coast win over subsequent Silver Slipper runner-up Platinum Jubilee.
That’s of no concern to Gollan as it was almost seven weeks between her second career win and the Magic Millions and he’s bridged the gap with a runaway barrier trial win.
“She was a bit fresh going into the trial, I hadn’t done a lot of hard work with her,’’ he said.
“You could see behind the gates she played around a bit and was a bit of a boss.
“She surprised me how quick she wanted to go under no pressure from Ryan (Maloney).
“It was just about letting her have a good time out there, stretch her legs, and have a blow out. She’s done really well since.”
Skirt The Law, $2.70 with TAB on Thursday, drew nine in the 12 horse field and Gollan said she’s already displayed she has the speed to offset that and the ability to adjust if something else wants to lead.
“She can take a trail or she can control a race, it’s not a massive deal. She has good speed,’’ Gollan said.
“She’s a good doer with good constitution on her, I think she will present in good order on the weekend.
“She’s as good if not better than she was Magic Millions Day. Hopefully we have a live chance in the Slipper three weeks later.”
The last Sweet Embrace winner to take out the Slipper was last year’s winner Fireburn but before that it was Crystal Lily in 2010 to complete that double.
Gollan has had two Golden Slipper runners to date. Vincere Volare finished 13th behind Kiamichi in 2019 after running third in the Reisling as her lead up while a year prior Ef Troop was runner-up in the Todman before finishing 12th behind Estijaab.
All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting