A group of pioneering owners are finalising plans to travel from Melbourne to Burrumbeet to witness their two-year-old’s first jumpout, in a move that has left scientists from the Zenno Goshu Institute genuinely alarmed.

“We’ve never seen excitement and optimism levels this high,” said the study’s lead researcher, esteemed psychologist Reginald McGovern.

Under the banner of the ‘Tighten The Girth’ syndicate, the group pooled their cash together to ‘go in’ for 10% of the Pierro colt trained by Ciaron Maher.

“The optimism is even higher than that exhibited by Olympic athletes from ‘minnow’ nations at the opening ceremony —  it’s actually quite dangerous,” McGovern said. 

In leaked WhatsApp messages viewed by The Pakistan Star, one owner revealed he had made formal requests to several bookies to have the unraced two-year-old added to the Golden Slipper market, in the hope of ‘getting a price’ before word got out.

“Did you see his walk? This thing is a genuine panther,” read another message. 

When contacted for comment, Maher said the colt was a “nice horse” but was “a long way off making his debut”, before offering this masthead “the last 10 per cent”.

More to follow.