Blinkered eyes on the Diamond prize
February 18th 2009 07:33
Team Williams placed blinkers on Efficient before he raced in the 2007 WS Cox Plate. It didn’t work - he finished a disappointing 9th - although at his very next start he won the Melbourne Cup.
(photo: Steve Hart)
In 2008 Mark Kavanagh placed blinkers on Maldivian before the WS Cox Plate. That gear change worked brilliantly and he won our feature weight-for-age championship.
Trainers will often hold back with a significant gear change until the time of a feature race. Maximum effect at first activation.
This weekend the running of the $1 million Group One Arrowfield Stud Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield sees a less than capacity field of thirteen runners. Five trainers have elected to roll the dice and throw blinkers (or winkers) on their two year olds in an effort to provide a better race manner, focus for speed, or other factor or intangible that may produce a feature race victory.
Come Hither (trained be Lee Freedman) is Sheikh Mohammed’s very talented Redoute’s Choice filly. She wears blinkers for the first time after winning unimpressively at her first start for the Autumn. In the Spring she raced exceptionally well in both Melbourne and Sydney and perhaps should also be undefeated at this stage.
Irish Lights (trained by David Hayes), part-owned by Coolmore Stud, wears winkers at just her second race start - after chasing home race favourite Rostova (beaten 2.5 lengths) on debut.
Perikon, trained by Ricky Maund, gets blinkers for his 5th race appearance. A maiden winner at Cranbourne - then two unplaced runs in better city company - have allowed for the addition of blinkers (and wish, a hope, and a prayer).
Quick Blush, a Redoute's Choice filly trained by David Hayes, goes from winkers to blinkers in search of overcoming the margin of 3.4 lengths that Rostova had over her at their last meeting. But as a dual metropolitan winner previously, the gear change is tinkering rather than wishing-on-a-star.
The very talented (Peter Moody trained) Exceed And Excel colt, Reward For Effort, gets winkers for his third race start. A big winner on debut in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview, he then chased home Real Saga in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude last start. Inexperienced and in his first campaign, he could significantly benefit from such an addition.
In the case of four of these five horses the gear change gives room for some expectation - and hope for an upset. It can be expected that either (one of) Come Hither, Irish Lights, or Reward For Effort, would come into contention - given their natural ability and already impressive records.
Naturally the race favourites, the unbeaten filly Rostova, and unbeaten colt Real Saga, go into the Blue Diamond without change or tinkering. They are the benchmarks - both easy winners of their gender divisions of the Blue Diamond Prelude.
The latest betting for the Blue Diamond Stakes from Sportingbet:
Rostova 2.65
Real Saga 3.2
Come Hither 11
Irish Lights 13
Reward For Effort 15
Starspangledbanner 17
Rarefied 21
Corsaire 21
Bawaardi 31
Rose Darmore 35
Quick Blush 41
Maka Ena 41
Perikon 201
Come Hither - now with blinkers
(photo: Steve Hart)
In 2008 Mark Kavanagh placed blinkers on Maldivian before the WS Cox Plate. That gear change worked brilliantly and he won our feature weight-for-age championship.
Trainers will often hold back with a significant gear change until the time of a feature race. Maximum effect at first activation.
This weekend the running of the $1 million Group One Arrowfield Stud Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield sees a less than capacity field of thirteen runners. Five trainers have elected to roll the dice and throw blinkers (or winkers) on their two year olds in an effort to provide a better race manner, focus for speed, or other factor or intangible that may produce a feature race victory.
Come Hither (trained be Lee Freedman) is Sheikh Mohammed’s very talented Redoute’s Choice filly. She wears blinkers for the first time after winning unimpressively at her first start for the Autumn. In the Spring she raced exceptionally well in both Melbourne and Sydney and perhaps should also be undefeated at this stage.
Irish Lights (trained by David Hayes), part-owned by Coolmore Stud, wears winkers at just her second race start - after chasing home race favourite Rostova (beaten 2.5 lengths) on debut.
Perikon, trained by Ricky Maund, gets blinkers for his 5th race appearance. A maiden winner at Cranbourne - then two unplaced runs in better city company - have allowed for the addition of blinkers (and wish, a hope, and a prayer).
Quick Blush, a Redoute's Choice filly trained by David Hayes, goes from winkers to blinkers in search of overcoming the margin of 3.4 lengths that Rostova had over her at their last meeting. But as a dual metropolitan winner previously, the gear change is tinkering rather than wishing-on-a-star.
The very talented (Peter Moody trained) Exceed And Excel colt, Reward For Effort, gets winkers for his third race start. A big winner on debut in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview, he then chased home Real Saga in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude last start. Inexperienced and in his first campaign, he could significantly benefit from such an addition.
In the case of four of these five horses the gear change gives room for some expectation - and hope for an upset. It can be expected that either (one of) Come Hither, Irish Lights, or Reward For Effort, would come into contention - given their natural ability and already impressive records.
Naturally the race favourites, the unbeaten filly Rostova, and unbeaten colt Real Saga, go into the Blue Diamond without change or tinkering. They are the benchmarks - both easy winners of their gender divisions of the Blue Diamond Prelude.
The latest betting for the Blue Diamond Stakes from Sportingbet:
Rostova 2.65
Real Saga 3.2
Come Hither 11
Irish Lights 13
Reward For Effort 15
Starspangledbanner 17
Rarefied 21
Corsaire 21
Bawaardi 31
Rose Darmore 35
Quick Blush 41
Maka Ena 41
Perikon 201
| 48 |
| Vote |
