Friday night’s Gold Bracelet winner Just For Love won’t take her place in this week’s Group 1 Golden Slipper at Gloucester Park, with the filly a notable absentee from the 27 nominations.
Just For Love made a late bid to gain a spot in the $100,000 feature this week by leading all the way to take out the two-year-old fillies event on Friday.
However, trainer Barry Howlett said he didn’t feel Just For Love was quite ready to match the colts and geldings in the Golden Slipper.
“She was never going to be in the race,” he told RWWA Harness.
“She’s pulled up fine from the run but we need to be realistic and she’s not up to the class of the colts and geldings.
“We will give her a break now and let her strengthen up and hopefully she will come back even better.”
Despite not having Just For Love in the Slipper equation, Howlett is hopeful talented Bettors Delight colt Sugar Street will make the final field when it’s released tomorrow.
Sugar Street finished a meritorious second to Be Rock Hard over 2190m at Northam on Saturday night, his first start since a fifth placing in the Pearl Classic on June 12.
Howlett said he hoped Sugar Street had done enough to work his way into the 12 horse field and rated him as one of the best horses he’s trained.
“He’s had a few setbacks along the way but I think he’s a pretty good horse and up with the best of them,” he said.
“He’s not far behind Jack Mac, that’s how highly we regard him.
“I give him a really good chance in the race with a bit of luck.”
Westbred Classic winners Black Jack Baby and Give Us A Wave head up nominations for the Golden Slipper.
Fellow Group 1 winners Talks Up A Storm and Jett Star are also among the star-studded group of nominations.
Meanwhile, Handsandwheels could make his long awaited return to the track in this Friday’s Free-For-All, where he’s among 12 nominations.
The Aiden De Campo-trained pacer could clash with Chicago Bull and Vultan Tin, who filled the top two placings in last Friday’s Free-For-All.
View the Golden Slipper nominations HERE.
Tim Walker
Image – Hamilton Content Creators
It was a first metropolitan win @GloucesterPark last night for @Mick_511 with Bolta winning early on in the card. It was also a 150th win for the season for @GaryHallJnr
We caught up with the trainer post victory… pic.twitter.com/WPt4iWW4pp
— RWWA Harness (@RWWA_Harness) July 4, 2020
