Trainer Grahame Begg is in no rush to confirm whether Blue Diamond Stakes winner Written By will contest the Golden Slipper.
Unbeaten in three starts, Written By gave Begg his first Group One win since he returned after a break from training and set up on the Mornington Peninsula in 2016.
Begg said Written By had come through his victory in Saturday’s Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield in fantastic shape, but he wanted to wait another week before deciding whether to chase the double, last achieved by Sepoy in 2011.
Written By had his price slashed from $26 to $8 fourth favourite for the Golden Slipper at Rosehill on March 24 following Saturday’s win.
“I would say Monday or Tuesday next week we’ll have it firmly entrenched in our mind which direction we’re going to take,” Begg said.
“He’s come out of the race well and he’s showing all the positive signs so far.”
Begg said he was mindful of not going too far with Written By who has endured a long campaign to become a Blue Diamond winner.
After proving difficult to load in his debut win at Sandown in December, Written By had to trial to get his barrier certificate.
That required a lot of barrier work with Shane Stockdale to get the colt passed.
“He had a little down time but he’s been pretty much going since the middle of last year,” Begg said.
“That’s why I’ve said the horse comes first and we won’t be rushed into making any quick decisions.”
Begg said he was not concerned about Written By racing right-handed as the colt has done plenty of work in the clockwise direction at Pincecliff, the property from which he is trained.
He said if he and the colt’s owner, Begg’s father Neville, decided to run him in the 2018 Golden Slipper, Written By would go into the race without another start but would have a barrier trial at Randwick in the lead-up.
