Little Critter will take one step closer to an ultimate goal of the Golden Slipper when the Tony McEvoy-trained colt lines up in the $200,000 Wyong 2YO Classic (1100m) on Thursday.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Little Critter is currently an equal $3.80 favourite with TAB Sportsbet fixed odds for the $200,000 feature event at Wyong tomorrow alongside Paul Perry-trained Hidden Warrior.
South Australian-based trainer Tony McEvoy is pleased with the colt who has settled in well to his Sydney base as was witnessed when winning a 900m barrier trial at Warwick Farm by four lengths on December 15.
“He is very well,” McEvoy said. “He arrived there on the fifth of December.”
“I am in Adelaide at the moment but my staff tell me he's continued to lick the bin and he is lovely and bright this morning. He had a swim today and was nice and active up on his toes so he is ready for the contest tomorrow.”
The Court Command juvenile is expected to get all of the favours from barrier two under the guidance of Glyn Schofield.
McEvoy is confident regarding the chances of Little Critter in an event which contains six debut runners.
“It is a difficulty race to assess,” McEvoy said.
“There are five or six of them which are unraced. All I know is my colt is very well and I think he is quite a nice colt who should handle himself well.”
Assuming Little Critter is up to the task of tomorrow's Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic he will then head to the Gold Coast for the main event next month.
It is then McEvoy will make a decision on what lies in store for the colt during the autumn with a tilt at the $3.5million Group 1 Golden Slipper at Rosehill on April 7.
“If Little Critter handles himself well over the next few weeks he can stay in Sydney for the Slipper after the Magic Millions,” McEvoy said.
McEvoy is hopeful of saddling up at least two runners in the feature event with Listed Debutants Stakes winner Jimando the other Slipper contender.
“Jimando is here at Kildalton Park,” McEvoy said.
“He will go to the Diamond and then the Slipper all going to plan.
“He is in really good order at the moment in his early stages of fastwork as he builds up towards the Blue Diamond.
“If he does run he will run in the Chairman's Stakes three weeks before I'd say then he will go to the Diamond. He may even go just straight into the Diamond.”
McEvoy still plans on running another group of four juveniles at the start of next year.
“There are a couple who haven't raced yet who will get to the races in January,” McEvoy said.
“I'm still assessing them at the moment. We bought 12 yearlings and eight of them have been to the races with the other four to run after Christmas.
His two-year-old team has been reduced though with the loss of Stakes winner Maximus Moonard and Inglis Banner placegetter Swipeline.
“Maximus Moonard has been sold overseas,” McEvoy said.
“Three weeks after he won the Merson Cooper Stakes an agent bought him and I believe it was for Hong Kong.
“Swipeline came out of the Moonee Valley race with a sore ankle so he is going to miss the rest of his two-year-old time which is frustrating.
“He'll be okay however I'm not going to take any risks with him in the autumn as I think he is a very good horse and I'm not going to push him.”
