Slipper Fits but Start not Confirmed for Whiskey Allround

Queensland gelding Whiskey Allround shot into Golden Slipper contention with a tough Silver Slipper second on Saturday but trainer Tony Gollan will delay a decision on a start in the $3.5 million race for as long as possible.

Whiskey Allround is on a path towards the Golden Slipper. Photo by: Daniel Costello.

Connections of the two-year-old are required to pay a $150,000 late entry fee for the world’s richest juvenile race and the final call won’t be made until after his next start in the Todman Stakes at Rosehill on March 23.

“There’s no point declaring him now and paying the $150,000 late entry fee and then something goes wrong,” Gollan told horseracing.com.au.

“It’s a stupid old cliche and nobody likes to say it but it really is one race at a time with him in this situation.”

Despite not yet committing to a start, Gollan believes his young charge has what it takes to cut his teeth against the best youngsters in the land.

“He certainly put himself in the picture on Saturday,” he said.

“I’ve got no doubt he’ll take improvement out of that performance. He had absolutely no luck and he was poor out of the barriers when usually he is a good starter.

“He was really anxious walking around the yard.”

Whiskey Allround was unbeaten in three starts in Queensland during his debut campaign in the spring.

Gollan is genuinely excited about the son of All Bar One who he sees as a long-term prospect and crucial to backing up the efforts of Group 1 runners Temple Of Boom and Spirit Of Boom.

“I actually had reservations about him being a Golden Slipper horse originally. He’s going to be a lot better as he gets older,” Gollan said.

“We’ve been trying to find one for a while to support the two Booms and it looks we might have done that.”

Spirit Of Boom runs in the $1 million Newmarket Handicap at Flemington on Saturday.

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