Written By

By Ray Hickson

Unbeaten youngster Written By hasn’t had the perfect build up to his Sydney debut at Rosehill on Saturday but trainer Grahame Begg says things have fallen into place for the Blue Diamond winner to produce his best.

Begg had planned to trial Written By at Randwick on Tuesday as his final serious work ahead of next week’s Golden Slipper and not contest the Group 3 $175,000 Café Culture + Insitu Pago Pago Stakes (1200m).

Written By arrived in Sydney last Thursday and when Tuesday’s trials were washed out it had been a week since the colt had a serious gallop under his belt.

“When they were called off I was lucky enough to get him on the course proper so he still had a bit of work,’’ Begg said.

“He had a light few days (after he travelled) and then it was all geared up for him to trial on Tuesday. He was at the stage he needed to do something.''

With jockey Jordan Childs in the saddle, Written By worked over 800m on the Randwick course proper in even time and “strode up’’ his last 400m to Begg’s satisfaction.

“If we had have waited for the Slipper it would be a month between runs and that’d be too much,’’ he said.

Written By is a hot $2.00 favourite for the Pago Pago and is currently third elect at $7 for the $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) on Saturday week.

A feature of the colt’s three wins to date has been his ability to overcome wide barriers but that’s something Begg and Childs don’t have to contend with on Saturday.

“It’s the first time he’s drawn a decent gate, it’s never easy but it will make his job a bit easier. He will be running well,’’ he said.

“We don’t want a really hard run and hopefully the track is improving.

“He does handle a bit of sting out of the ground but I’d have been reluctant had the track been heavy and I’d have to think differently.’’

Stratum (2005) is the last Pago Pago winner to back up and take out the Golden Slipper.

Ironically, Written By’s sire Written Tycoon contested that Slipper having won the Todman Stakes as his final lead up but finished 11th.

Begg took a two-year break from training in 2014 and relocated from Randwick to Pinecliff in Victoria. Written By was his first Group 1 winner in seven years.

As most racing folk would know he’s no stranger to preparing a top class galloper with some of his more recent stars including the likes of Secret Admirer, Ilovethiscity, Written Tycoon and All Silent.

“They aren’t easy to find but two-year-olds are natural,’’ he said.

“It’s about finding a horse with that natural ability and they’ll show their hand and that’s what he’s done.’’