Eurell eyes more Flemington stakes success

Trainer Greg Eurell is hoping to build on a stakes double at Flemington with another.

A week after celebrating a stakes double on the Australian Guineas program, trainer Greg Eurell will try to do likewise with two runners on another of Flemington’s major race days.

The Eurell-trained two-year-old colt Ilovemyself won a Listed 1000m race on debut at Flemington last Saturday with five-year-old gelding Blazejowski later taking out the Group Three Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap.

On Saturday, Eurell has another two-year-old set for a stakes assignment, with The Watchman to run in the Group Two VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) after an encouraging debut at Sandown last month.

Eurell also has three-year-old filly Sassy Salitage in the Group Two Kewney Stakes (1400m) after she resumed from a spell with a fourth as favourite in the Typhoon Tracy Stakes (1200m) at The Valley.

The trainer believes the tempo of 1400m will suit Sassy Salitage better but the filly also faces tough opposition including Rubisaki, How Womantic and Pretty Brazen.

“There’s a couple of good fillies in there so we’re definitely going to know where she fits in,” Eurell said.

Eurell believes The Watchman has the makings of a nice three-year-old but hopes he can snare the Sires’ Produce before then.

The gelding finished strongly from last for fourth in a 1300m race for juveniles at Sandown in his only previous appearance.

“I thought it was a really good effort,” Eurell said.

“He got lost a bit early but ran home nicely. His sectionals were very sharp which led us to thinking this is a nice race to have an attempt at, albeit it’s not an easy task.

“He’s a nice horse on the up and I think he’s going to make a very nice three-year-old.”

“I think he’ll be very competitive. I just hope he doesn’t get as lost as what he did at Sandown.

“He’s got a good draw and hopefully he just puts himself in a bit better position because if he doesn’t it’s going to make it difficult. But if he works home like he did at Sandown he’s going to give them a run for their money.”

Eurell said the colt Ilovemyself would gallop the right-handed way at Cranbourne on Saturday morning before, all being well, travelling to Sydney that night to run in Saturday week’s Pago Pago Stakes.