Denis Pagan eyes Flemington sprint to start Johnny Get Angry Melbourne Cup tilt

Denis Pagan will break the mould again, using a Group 3 Flemington sprint to start Derby winner Johnny Get Angry’s path towards the Melbourne Cup.

Group 1 winning trainer Denis Pagan after the Victoria Derby. Picture: Jay Town

Using a Group 3 sprint to launch a long-range Melbourne Cup tilt is as unlikely as a dual AFL premiership coach-turned-real estate agent training the winner of the Group 1 Victoria Derby.

Denis Pagan intends to break the mould again, ramping up Johnny Get Angry‘s track gallops this week to prepare him for the Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on August 7.

“Johnny”, as a three-year-old classic winner, is exempt from the Cup balloting process.

It means Pagan has the luxury to tailor the program to suit the lightly-raced and ever “popular” stayer, who has really thrived being in work at Flemington.

If anything, the $1.2m earner Johnny Get Angry is ahead of schedule and forced Pagan’s hand.

“Track work and trials are a bit like dancing with your sister,” Pagan said.

“He’s not going to get warm until he gets 10 furlongs (2000m) so I’m better off doing something like that (Aurie’s Star).

“I might be out of my depth but that’s what I’m going to do, let’s see what happens from there.

“I got to make some sort of plans and people ask me (what I‘m going to do), he’s become very popular Johnny.”

The magnitude and challenges of getting “Johnny” to Flemington on the first Tuesday in November isn’t lost on Pagan, either.

“It won’t be through lack of trying getting there,” Pagan said.

“I’ve really looked after him, he looks terrific, he’s bouncing around and (jockey) Lachie King said to me (after track work) he’s ready to go now.

“I don’t want to pull the trigger too early, he means everything to me and we’ll just let it unfold, very slowly if we can. It’s a very fluid situation.

“We’ll see what happens from there (Aurie’s Star) and hopefully it works out for Johnny, more importantly, than me.”

Johnny Get Angry will trial at least once before the first-up assignment down the Flemington straight.

The rising four-year-old has not been to the races since the extraordinary Derby triumph last October.

Pagan bypassed the autumn and winter to have Johnny Get Angry ripe for the Melbourne Spring Carnival.

Originally published as Denis Pagan eyes Flemington sprint to start Johnny Get Angry Melbourne Cup tilt