David Pfieffer is building himself up for take two of the start of Nediym’s Quest’s Golden Slipper campaign at Rosehill on Saturday.
The disappointed trainer watched on in despair when Nediym’s Quest was withdrawn at the barrier after rearing up before the start of his scheduled debut at Warwick Farm last Saturday week.
The colt had been specked at long odds to win the $3.5 million Golden Slipper on the basis of his first winning barrier trial and is now a $26 chance in the world’s richest juvenile race.
He duly won a stewards’ enforced trial last week and it’s all systems go for Saturday’s Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m).
“There were no problems with him and he passed the trial as I thought he would,” Pfieffer said.
“I’ve put the experience behind me and am looking forward to Saturday.
“This is the best horse I’ve ever worked and the horse who can put me in the spotlight.
“I’ve never had a two-year-old Group runner so that’s a first.
“He’s going to be up against rock-hard opposition. It’s not easy but I think he’s a quality horse.”
The 12 nominations for the Group Two Silver Slipper include Breeders’ Plate winner Pierro from Gai Waterhouse’s army of two-year-olds.
Nediym’s Quest will be ridden by Peter Robl who has got to know the colt in past weeks and turned down the chance to ride one of Anthony Cummings’s runners in the Australian Guineas at Flemington on Saturday in favour of staying in Sydney.
Pfieffer began his career working for the late Tony Wildman at Warwick Farm where he now has a team of 25 in work including his headline horse Graceful Anna who he prepared to win the 2010 $1 million Magic Millions Trophy just two years after he gained a licence.
Graceful Anna had a lacklustre three-start spring campaign but there were excuses.
“We found out she had a lung infection so we gave her a good spell,” Pfieffer said.
“She will trial in a couple of weeks and hopefully will be back racing again.”
AAP TURF
