Draw to help I Did It Again relax in Blue Sapphire

Brad Waters - Tuesday October 17

Greg Eurell says a different draw should produce a more favourable scenario for I Did It Again in Wednesday's Group III Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

I Did It Again (red & white stripes) duels with Bandipur (royal blue) at Caulfield last month. Photo: Darryl Sherer

I Did It Again showed great promise in his debut win at Caulfield in July before little went right for the son of Nicconi when he was narrowly beaten first-up at Caulfield on September 23.

I Did It Again was left without cover from the outside gate while jockey Nikita Beriman dropped her whip in the straight before the three-year-old went down to Bandipur at his last start.

The gelding jumped form barrier nine in a 10-horse field last time out but he will jump from barrier three in Wednesday's $350,000 contest, a gate Eurell said should help I Did It Again settle better than he did first-up.

"If he doesn't draw a gate, he was always going to find it inviting to grab the bridle and roll forward and that's what he did last start and it just made it difficult," Eurell said.

"I'm really happy with the barrier draw and it sort of gives us some opportunity for something to roll forward and he take a sit behind them and see what he can do from there.

"Tomorrow, if he can get that little smother, I'd say that would be ideal.

"He's still pretty keen at the moment. He's not silly by any means but he's just one of those horses that wants to run and he's competitive so he heads into it pretty fresh tomorrow."

Eurell said I Did It Again handled his first-up run well but the Cranbourne trainer and the sprinter's new jockey Damien Oliver agree the 2017 edition of the Blue Sapphire Stakes features a strong field.

"He's a really promising horse, he probably didn't have everything go his way the other day," Oliver said.

"He's shown he is worthy of a crack at a race like that, although it seems to have come up a pretty strong edition this year.''

Sportsbet has I Did It Again as a $5.50 chance in Blue Sapphire betting behind the well-backed Jukebox, who has been supported from $4.80 to join Formality as a $4 equal favourite.

Advertisment
More Reading...
New 2YO Stakes-Winner for Too Darn Hot
With his service fee pushed to $110,000 in Australia this spring, Darley shuttler Too Darn Hot (GB) was on the board overnight with the first stakes-winner from his second crop in the Northern Hemisphere with promising filly Hot Darling taking out the Listed Prix des Reves d’Or Jacques Bouchara (1000m) at Vichy in France.
Everest Rematch Looms at TSHA National Titles
We’re a week out from the Thoroughbred Sport Horse Association National Titles at Stonewall Equestrian and with some 300 off the track thoroughbreds set to take part in the four day event (May 23 – 26) there are a lot of excited riders out there, me included!
Juvenile Trial Watch – Randwick
There were seven heats won by juveniles at the Randwick trials on Thursday morning that included some expensive unraced youngsters and we also had a look at Group I ATC Champagne Stakes winner Broadsiding, who obviously has the Group I BRC JJ Atkins next month in his sights.
Best On Breeding
In times past, many a racing tragic would have nursed a sore head at Wallabadah on New Year’s Day.
Four Length Winner for Cosmic Force
Opening his account with a dazzling four length victory at Grafton on Thursday was talented Cosmic Force gelding Cosmic Fire.
G1 Winner Affaire a Suivre Added to MM National Supplementary
The supplementary catalogue for the 2024 Magic Millions National Weanling and Broodmare Sales has been finalised with a further nine stakes performers among the latest confirmed entries.
2024 HTBA Awards Night
Over 340 industry leaders, clients and supporters, attended the Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association 2024 Annual Awards in Scone to recognise the Hunter’s elite equine athletes.
Inglis Great Southern Now Online
Weanlings by the likes of Frankel, I Am Invincible, Zoustar, Snitzel, Lord Kanaloa, Wootton Bassett, Toronado and Written Tycoon headline a spectacular offering of foals at this year’s Great Southern Sale, for which the catalogue is now available online.
Memorable Year for Chad Ormsby
Multi-talented horseman Chad Ormsby has had a year to remember with four black-type victories to his credit.
Sires With Winners - Thursday May 16
Here is the full list of 48 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.