By Bren O'Brien
Written By (Written Tycoon) may have won the battle in the G3 Catanach's Jewellers Blue Sapphire S. but James Cummings believes Encryption (Lonhro) can win the war heading towards the G1 Coolmore Stud S. at Flemington.
Written By was able to use his superior gate speed to lead Wednesday's race and held off Encryption comfortably by 1.25l on the line, taking his Caulfield record to four wins from four starts.
However, Encryption was four weeks between runs and Cummings is confident that he’ll improve greatly off that performance headed towards his main mission at Flemington on November 3.
"The winner was very good and I thought Encryption's effort was excellent." - James Cummings on the Blue Sapphire S.
"He's run really well," Cummings said. "It wasn't run to suit horses back in the field as they ran at a really sedate tempo but the winner was very good and I thought Encryption's effort was excellent."
"Provided that we're happy with him, we'll push onto the Coolmore with a bit of confidence there is more improvement in him too."
Encryption showed his liking for the Flemington straight at his previous start when he charged home to claim the G2 Danehill S.
With that performance in the back of his mind and more improvement to come from the G3 Black Opal S. winner, Cummings feels he can turn the tables on Written By and mix it with the best 3-year-old sprinters on Derby Day.
"He's got a lot of speed this colt and he's got an even bigger (pedigree) page so if he can just take that fraction of improvement out of the Blue Sapphire today and get up in the Coolmore, it would be a huge result for the farm," he said.
"I am sure his highness Sheik Mohammed would be pretty excited having a stallion-potential colt lining up in a race that is building in prestige as the stallion-making race."
"He's got a lot of speed this colt and he's got an even bigger (pedigree) page so if he can just take that fraction of improvement out of the Blue Sapphire today and get up in the Coolmore, it would be a huge result for the farm." - James Cummings
Meanwhile, trainer Grahame Begg confirmed Written By would have a jumpout at Flemington next Friday as his final major hitout before the Coolmore Stud S. and as a means of familiarisation given he hasn’t raced there before.
"Having to have a jumpout in between (runs) is not ideal backing up and having a jumpout in nine days' time but I guess we won't need to do much work with him after that leading into the race," Begg said.
"We were trying to factor it (look at Flemington) in earlier like before he even had his first-up run and I half suspected that would be the case a couple of months ago."
Written By comfortable winning the G3 Blue Sapphire S.
"It would be nice to get that under his belt just to have a look. He's got to have a workout somewhere so we might as well take him there and give him a look at the straight and he'll be spot-on for Coolmore day."
Leading a field of six around the corner at Caulfield, as opposed to an expected big field down the straight at Flemington is a very different challenge.
But Begg is adamant Written By doesn't need to be on the pace in his races.
"It would be nice to see him get a sit one day but circumstances haven't allowed him," Begg said. "But he sat behind them in the Blue Diamond even though he was wide but when he gets a dead-set camp on him I reckon he'll really let down."
Co-trainer Ben Hayes confirmed post-race that Tony Nicconi (Nicconi), who ran third, and Smart Ellisim (Smart Missile), who ran fifth, would not go to the Coolmore and would instead target easier races.
Performer (Exceed and Excel) did not handle Caulfield well, losing touch with the leaders around the bend before rediscovering his rhythm late on and finishing fourth.
