If it was good enough for Bart Cummings, then it is good enough for Dennis Pagan to start the Melbourne Cup campaign of Johnny Get Angry (NZ) (Tavistock) in the Gr.3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m).
Cummings, along with other legendary trainers Colin Hayes and George Hanlon would often use sprint races like Saturday’s Group Three sprint to start their stayer’s campaigns.
The Cummings-trained Hyperno, winner of the 1979 Melbourne Cup, kicked-off a spring campaign in the Aurie’s Star finishing second when the race was over 1100m.
“I thought to myself you can’t get a better surface,” Pagan said.
“He’s two weeks in front of where I want him to be and I was going to trial him again anyway.
“He looks super. I haven’t got any expectations about Saturday, I just hope he savages the line.”
Johnny Get Angry has not raced since winning the Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington last November.
As a Derby winner, Pagan is preparing the son of Tavistock for a shot at the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups having been entered for both races after nominations closed on Tuesday.
Pagan had a dream start to his training career winning last year’s Derby but he is not getting too far ahead of himself thinking the Melbourne Cup will follow.
The Flemington-based trainer just wants to get Saturday’s return run out of the way, wanting Johnny Get Angry to get through the race unscathed and then he can start thinking of the next assignment.
“He’s in pretty good nick. He’s grown and developed into a real man now,” Pagan said.
“I’m looking forward to Saturday but he’ll be getting started when all those sprinters are knocking up.
“I’m just hoping he’ll be charging through the line.”
“I don’t know about the Melbourne Cup but we’ll be trying our hardest and I’m sure Johnny will be too.
“It’s worth having a shot at. Who knows what will happen.”
Johnny Get Angry was sourced as a yearling at Karaka, with Pagan’s good friend Troy Corstens securing the son of Tavistock for $50,000 from the draft of Bradbury Park.
