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By Ray Hickson

He’s been asked the question countless times this week and each time Ciaron Maher hasn’t budged on his view that unbeaten filly Coolangatta’s preparation has been perfect for Saturday’s $5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill.

Trainer Ciaron Maher (Pic: Steve Hart)

Perfect, but perhaps not ideal given she’ll need to rewrite history to win the two-year-old classic as no horse has won the race with a gap between runs as large as the 63 days since her Magic Millions win.

Maher deliberately avoided running Coolangatta on heavy tracks in the past few weeks, Plan A was to run in the Sweet Embrace three weeks ago, and said she has enjoyed being trained on the beach at Newcastle.

“It’s unorthodox to the norm but not unorthodox to the horse,’’ Maher said.

“I’ve always regarded ourselves and our team as horse trainers, we have the best people and tools to make it happen. It hasn’t been done so it would be a bit of a feat.

“She’s always been very natural, always quite forward, and being so light with those tracks that have been thrown up the last month I was keen to have her peak for the day.

“I didn’t know if she would handle the heavy tracks and whether it might have pulled the plug on her a bit.”

Three horses have completed the Magic Millions-Golden Slipper double but each of them – Dance Hero (2004), Phelan Ready (2009) and Capitalist (2016) – had a run in between.

Coolangatta set herself up as the benchmark two-year-old for the season with a runaway debut win in the Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) on Epsom Day. She reappeared on Boxing Day at Doomben, in her only exposure to soft ground, and scored by over two lengths as her lead in to the Magic Millions.

Maher, who with co-trainer David Eustace prepared Away Game to run second in the 2020 Slipper, sent Coolangatta around in a jump out at Newcastle last Friday, with James McDonald in the saddle, and she completed her prep with some pacework midweek.

“It’s mainly for her head, the body is right to go,’’ he said of her gallop this week.

“She has handled a soft before so hopefully (the track) can get back to something like that. She’s very clean winded, I think she is a horse that possibly can do it.

“She can travel forward, back, anywhere and that’s probably her biggest asset. She’s spot on. I’m quietly confident, you can’t be overconfident.”

Coolangatta, $4.80 favourite with TAB on Thursday, drew barrier 14 and jumps from 11 if no emergencies gain a start.

Maher did warn it’s likely the filly will appear on the warm side on race day but said she was like that on the Gold Coast as well and it didn’t affect her performance.

“She’s a light filly, looking at her you wouldn’t fathom what she’s done. She’s in really good order and is very fit,’’ he said.

The Maher/Eustace stable has dual representation in the Group 1 $700,000 Furphy Galaxy (1100m) with smart mares Away Game and Bella Nipotina.

Both mares come through the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) three weeks ago where they finished second and fifth respectively and were $8.50 and $26 with TAB on Thursday.

“Her last two runs have been PBs,’’ Maher said of Away Game.

“Behind Marabi she was very good on Boxing Day where she carried 4.5kg more then James (McDonald) rode her too close at the Gold Coast and she was back to her best in the Oakleigh.

Coolangatta wins the Magic Millions in January

“She’s finished second in a Slipper, she can handle all conditions, looking at her form she loves the Sydney way of going.”

Bella Nipotina recorded Group 1 placings in the Manikato Stakes and VRC Classic in the spring and Maher said there could have been excuses for her at Caulfield first-up.

“Jamie (Kah) said she slipped at the start and didn’t feel right after that,’’ he said.

“She had a few muscle tweaks so whether she wasn’t quite right, I’m not sure, but she’s worked well since and she handles all conditions as well.”

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