Shalatin to Gift Pride his Slipper dream

Shalatin is the $4.20 favourite after an eye-catching debut effort when he charged home to finish a close fifth behind Ojai in the Kirkham Plate (1000m).

Pride believes the extra 100m of the Golden Gift will suit Shalatin and is banking on a top two finish to guarantee his colt a start in the $5 million Golden Slipper next autumn.

“The only Golden Slipper runner I’ve had was Anatomica who ran fourth to Sebring (2008),” Pride said.

“I’ve never had a two-year-old to the races so early in the season as Shalatin but I’m really pleased with the way he ran on debut.

“Look, I could have found a maiden for him but I have a very high opinion of this colt and I was really pleased when I saw the barrier (five) for the Golden Gift.

“The idea of this race is to qualify horses for the Golden Slipper and that’s obviously our goal with Shalatin on Saturday.”

If Shalatin can win the Golden Gift, it would continue Pride’s very successful spring carnival with Private Eye’s wins in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap and Group 3 Show County Quality, Eduardo’s wins in Group 2 The Shorts and Classique Legend Stakes plus his third in The Everest, and Ballistic Lover’s Listed Norman Carlyon Stakes.

Pride was going to spell Private Eye after his eighth in the Golden Eagle last Saturday but the trainer has had a change of heart and the Epsom winner lines up in the Group 1 $2 million Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington

“I had every intention of putting him in the paddock after the Golden Eagle,” Pride said.

“But he was really well on Sunday morning then I put a saddle on his back on Monday morning. Honestly, I couldn’t bring myself to spell him as it looked like he has something left in the tank.

“As it turned out, it was an unsuitable race for him last week, the way the track played didn’t help him and it was probably too short for him but he came through it so well.

“I’m happy to run the horse in the Mackinnon, test him at 2000m which I think he will enjoy, and I’m keen to see how he measures up in what looks a tough race.”

NATURE STRIP TO EXTEND STRAIGHT TRACK RECORD IN DARLEY CLASSIC

The Everest winner Nature Strip is poised to break the $16 million prizemoney barrier at Flemington on Saturday.

Nature Strip is at virtually unbackable odds of $1.33 to win his seventh Group 1 in the $2 million Darley Sprint Classic (1200m).

If the Chris Waller-trained Nature Strip wins as expected, his career earnings soars to $16.15 million and has the gelding in third position on the all-time leading prizemoney rankings.

Redzel, himself a dual The Everest winner, is currently second with $16.44 million but rankings-topper, all-time great Winx, also trained by Waller, is likely to hold her position for many years to come with a world record $26.45 million.

Waller is represented by three of the top five prizemoney earners with Verry Elleegant moving up the rankings after her Melbourne Cup win took her to $14.29 million.

“I don’t get too caught up with that too much,” Waller said when reminded of the prizemoney records of Winx (first), Nature Strip (third) and Verry Elleegant (fifth).

“It changes with generations. If a horse like Might And Power was racing now, he would be right up there, so would Sunline and Black Caviar.

“But I think it (record prizemoney) is a testament to our administrators who are keeping our industry moving forward.”

Nature Strip is a brilliant straight-track sprinter with five wins from seven starts there including Group 1 wins in the Darley Sprint Classic (2019) and Lightning Stakes (2021). He towers over his rivals tomorrow as his 120 handicap rating suggests given the next best is Streets Of Avalon on 109.

“I’ve been happy with Nature Strip since The Everest and he worked well here (Rosehill) earlier this week,” Waller said. “He’s had a good spring, he’s well and should be hard to beat.”

The Darley Sprint Classic has attracted only nine starters with Waller also accepting with straight tracks specialist September Run and three-year-olds Ranch Hand and Shaquero.

Originally published as Trainer Joe Pride looking to end a successful spring with a Golden Gift