Handsome Future Awaits Eurell Sprinter
- Monday, 26 July 2010 01:18
Apache Cat and Mic Mac have come and gone through the Cranbourne stables of Greg Eurell during the last 12 months but he might have an immediate replacement for the upcoming season.
Showcasing admirable qualities in his impressive last start win at Flemington, rising four-year-old The Handsome One has prompted thought of him filling the void left by those two sprinters.
“We’ve got a high opinion of the horse,” Eurell’s stable foreman John Baker told the Virtual Formguide.
“He’s just a tough horse and he is like an Apache (Cat) – not saying he’s got the ability yet but you’d never know.
“He was super that win first-up at Flemington. First time down the straight, heavy track first time - all that was against him and he pulled up like he hadn’t been around.”
Consequently The Handsome One will be given two opportunities to prove himself against harder opposition.
“After his win we then looked at the program and decided to give him a week off because his next run won’t be until the Aurie’s Star,” he said.
“With the program going for him in the spring, we thought ‘let’s give him a breather now because he won’t get all the way through’.
“Greg is pretty set on the Aurie’s Star and then maybe the Memsie Stakes,” Baker added.
The $150,000 Listed Aurie's Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington is scheduled for August 7 while the $200,000 Group 2 D’Urban Memsie Stakes (1400m) will be held at Caulfield three weeks later on August 28.
Based on his performances in those two races, Eurell and Baker will map out a suitable program for the son of Shamardal.
“We’ll just get those two races out of the way first and then see.”
“There’s plenty of options around for him, there are races in Sydney - we’ll just take it as it comes.”
Boasting a record of three wins from five starts, The Handsome One has accumulated $149,000 in prizemoney.
Pictures: Fiona Tomlin
