She won’t have raced for 63 days, has an awkward barrier to overcome and is unknown on significantly rain-affected ground.
The statistics are against unbeaten filly Coolangatta in Saturday’s $5 million Golden Slipper (1200m) but if co-trainer Ciaron Maher is nervous, he isn’t showing it.
Maher was largely relaxed after the youngster came up with barrier 14 at Tuesday’s draw and he has no qualms about her fitness despite the fact she has not raced since her triumph in the Magic Millions Classic on January 15.
He reckons champion jockey James Mcdonald can figure out a passage from the gate after getting the job done from a midfield draw at the Gold Coast, and his faith in the filly is unwavering.
“I was hoping for a little bit closer in, but ‘J Mac’ can deal with 14,” Maher said.
“I think she came out of a similar gate in the Magic Millions and there is a lot more room here than what there is around the Gold Coast.”
Coolangatta was scheduled to have a lead-up run into the Golden Slipper, but Maher opted not to risk her on the heavy Sydney tracks.
She has instead been kept up to the mark with several testing gallops and a jump-out at Newcastle last week and Maher is comfortable that is enough for the naturally athletic two-year-old.
“She hasn’t had any real time off, she had a couple of weeks here and there since she started racing so I’m not concerned,” Maher said.
“She had a nice solid hitout (last week), she had a good gallop the week before and her recovery from both of them was very good.
“She is pretty right from a fitness point of view.”
While Maher remains confident that Coolangatta can prove herself Australia’s best juvenile on Saturday, early punters are treading cautiously.
Having been a $4 favourite prior to the barrier draw, she had eased to $4.80 by Wednesday afternoon with early support coming for Victorian Jacquinot, who has been backed from $15 into $10.
Sejardan remains a solid second pick at $6 with Best Of Bordeaux and She’s Extreme sharing the third line of Golden Slipper betting at $8.50 apiece.
