More a book than a fairy tale

How could you ever imagine an enterprising Maltese migrant kid called Gratzio Peter Vella flogging horse droppings in Canberra would one day have a chance at Slipper glory, asks Bart Sinclair writing for FoxSports News in Australia:

There is always a good background story after a Golden Slipper victory, but there will be a book in the Gratz Vella take if bolter One Time wins. Vella, 48, is Maltese. His only interest in horses at a young age in Canberra was the money to be made from selling manure. "My brothers Sam and George each had a billy cart which we wheeled around the pony clubs. Then we graduated to the stables," Vella explained. "Once we had the cart filled off we'd go knocking on doors selling to people for their gardens."

Vella got to know Canberra trainer Robbie O'Sullivan, who offered him a job working in the stable. In his late 20s Vella started working for John Morrisey, and spent 20 years in that stable. "He let me train a horse or two in my own name as well but I was his stable foreman for a long time," Vella said.In that period, Vella had a small taste of the Golden Slipper hype through the Morrisey-trained Speed Week - which finished seventh in 1998. Six years ago, Vella stepped up to the plate full time in his own right. One Time is an $81 chance for the Slipper, but that won't stop connections hitting Rosehill big time. There's talk of a coach being booked to transport all the owners, family and friends from Canberra...