Written By Delights Ahead of Golden Slipper

Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes winner Written By has been confirmed for the Group 1 $3.5 million Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) after delighting trainer Grahame Begg in his work since the tough Melbourne win.

The well-bred son of Written Tycoon retained his undefeated status on February 24 at Caulfield taking his career record up to three wins from as many starts with the two and a half-length romp home in the Group 1 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m).

Overcoming barrier 15 of 16 in that run, the gun chestnut colt will now target more elite level success this autumn with Begg taking him to Sydney’s Rosehill Gardens on March 24 for a shot at the world’s richest race for two-year-olds.

The Pinecliff Mt. Eliza horseman told Racing Victoria on Monday that the Golden Slipper was definitely on the cards for Written By following an outstanding gallop at home earlier that morning.

“We wanted to give ourselves a good 10 days after the race [Blue Diamond] and we’ve come to the decision we are going to Sydney,” Begg explained.

“He’s really gone on from his Blue Diamond win. I know it looked a pretty tough run for him but he’s really gone ahead in leaps and bounds.

“He worked this morning in company. Jordan Childs came down and rode him at Pinecliff and he worked in outstanding fashion.

“He [Childs] felt he was in super order. He sat in behind another horse and he gave him a click-up and he gathered the horse in very quickly and they were very sharp.

“That’s what we wanted to see that he’s gone ahead and certainly hasn’t gone backwards.

“He absolutely delighted us.”

Written By is looking to become the first Blue Diamond – Golden Slipper winner since Sepoy back in 2011.

Prior to that, punters need to look right back to 1989 to find the last champion of the rare interstate double in Courtza.

Last year’s Blue Diamond Stakes winner was the Lindsay Park-trained filly Catchy who finished dead last when 16^th on a Heavy (10) track in the Golden Slipper next start.

All-in Golden Slipper odds at Ladbrokes.com.au currently list Written By as a $10 shot to salute in his Sydney debut and Begg remains confident the horse is going in the right direction to win.

“He’s just really come solid with the race,” Begg said.

“He’s gained weight. Obviously he dropped a little bit after the Diamond but he gained weight quite quickly and he’s got great coverage over his body.”

The trainer also holds no fears about running Written By the Sydney way of racing.

“We are very fortunate at Pinecliff that all the gallops are in that direction – right-handed gallops – so he’s been doing that from the very first time he’s been on the grass,” he said.

“He’ll head up [to Sydney] on Wednesday and stay overnight at Cootamundra to break the trip up and just get him in there in good order.

“Then he’ll go to a trial at Randwick on Tuesday week on the 13th. Hopefully he’ll be in the Kensington trials – they are opening up the track for the trials – and then he’ll go to the Golden Slipper 10 days later.”

Those futures Golden Slipper betting markets have Estijaab and Sunlight installed as the $4.80 co-favourites.

Tony McEvoy’s Zoustar filly Sunlight confirmed her spot at the top of betting taking her career record up to four wins from five starts with success at Rosehill on February 24 in the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m).

The Hawkes Racing-trained Estijaab was runner-up in that and races again on Saturday in the final traditional Golden Slipper lead-up for the fillies, the Group 2 $300,000 Reisling Stakes (1200m).

The Reisling Stakes has produced the past two Golden Slipper Stakes winning fillies with both Mossfun (2014) and She Will Reign (2017) running second in the lead-up.

The colts and geldings also contest their last Golden Slipper preparatory race at Saturday’s Randwick Guineas Day meeting facing off in the Group 2 $300,000 Todman Stakes (1200m).

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