Blinkers to spark Papillon Club at Caulfield

Cranbourne trainer Greg Eurell is banking on a set of blinkers turning around the fortunes of Papillon Club at Caulfield.

Papillon Blub will be lining up for the fourth run of her campaign when she lines up in the BlueBlood Thoroughbreds Handicap (1600m) on Saturday.

Eurell said Papillon Club had been hitting a flat spot in her races and is hoping the blinkers will keep the mare on the bridle for longer and help her work through that.

He also believes the step up to 1600m is what Papillon Club is looking for.

Papillon Club chased home Extratwo first-up over 1200m at Moonee Valley in March before running eighth at Bendigo on April 13.

Some missed work resulted in Papillon Club staying at home two weeks later to run again over 1400m at Caulfield instead of travelling to Adelaide to contest the Group 2 Queen Of The South Stakes (1600m) at Morphettville on April 27.

“I don’t think her runs have been too bad this campaign,” Eurell said.

“First-up she was terrific, and I think she’s been looking for the 1600 metres, and we certainly welcome that on Saturday.

“We’ve put blinkers on her on Saturday and we’re hoping that might just give her a bit more of an edge, but pound for pound, she’s in really good order.

“She’s worked in the blinkers and responded really well to them.

“What has been happening with her, as she’s been blending into her races, she’s been hitting a bit of a flat spot, so we thought the blinkers might just help her through that.”

With the Adelaide Carnival winding up, Eurell said he was reluctant to look north and winter in Queensland with the mare.

He said there was viable options, provided her form warranted it, on the home front.

“If she holds up and is ticking over alright, we’ll probably weave our way through the Winter Championship or the mares’ series,” Eurell said.

“There’s a couple of options depending on how well she’s going.”