HE'S only had nine starts in his career, but Oberon trainer Wayne White already views Jerulas Grin as a "once in a lifetime horse".
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It's why White will aim his star gelding at the 2021 edition of the Chariots Of Fire - the richest four-year-old race on the Australasian calendar.
The list of past winners of the Chariots Of Fire, which has been run at Menangle Park since 1995, includes some of the industry's stars such as Steve Turnbull's Smooth Satin (2001) and Luke McCarthy's Slipnslide (2005).
Only 10 horses are invited to contest the race each year and White hopes Jerulas Grin can be one of them for 2021.
"I think he's earned his right to go there. Whether he's good enough for it I don't know. That's why he's going for a spell now - because it's in February, if he kept going now, he'd be a tired horse by the time that comes around," White said.
"He's already done everything I've asked of him so far."
Jerulas Grin's three-year-old record stands at six wins and two second placings from nine starts. One of those victories was the Group 3 NSW Breeders Challenge Western Region Final.
He has only once placed outside the top three, but even that was a fourth placing in the Group 1 NSW Breeders Challenge Final.
"He's not the most educated horse and that was only his seventh start in a race, so I was a long way from disappointed," White said of that run.
"He got beat his first start and probably never shouldn't have. That was my fault because I told young Justin [Reynolds] to go conservative with him out of the gate as we had a few issues with him early on.
"I think if I'd let Justin drive his normal race that first start he would have won that too."
Jerulas Grin is currently in the spelling paddock and when he returns, White will aim him towards a Chariots Of Fire spot.
"I think with another blow now, he'll just come back that half a yard better again. He has when we've spelled him before and I think going out on a good note he'll come back better again," he said.
"He's my life at the moment, this horse, he's a once in a lifetime horse, and I'm just going to enjoy it because you never know how long you've got them for."
