Fontiton (Turffontein) has yet to put a foot wrong in her short career, and
she faces her stiffest test yet in Saturday’s A$1 million Blue Diamond S.
(Aus-G1) at Caulfield, Australia’s second-richest juvenile contest. Fontiton
cost Matchem Racing A$110,000 at last year’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, and
that figure looks like a bargain now that the dark bay has bankrolled almost
A$400,000 in just four months of competition.
The Robert Smerdon charge aired by six lengths going 1000 meters first out at
Moonee Valley October 25, after which she was immediately put on the shelf. She
resumed with a score in the fillies’ division of the Blue Diamond Preview
(Aus-G3) at Sandown January 26, and was nearly two lengths the best in her most
recent test, the fillies’ division of the Blue Diamond Prelude (Aus-G2) over
1100 meters of this course two weeks ago. In a race where the draw is key,
Fontiton has landed on the rail, a spot connections would surely prefer to a
wide gate, but she will need to be on her toes to break fast and find a good
early position.
Smerdon vocalized after the February 14 Blue Diamond Preludes that he
considered Sampeah (Exceed and Excel) and Pride of Dubai (Street Cry) the
biggest threats to his favorite. A win by Sampeah would make it back-to-back
Blue Diamonds for Sheikh Mohammed and three overall, and the bay — who scored
first-out at Rosehill November 29 — certainly boosted his credentials with a
fast-finishing third in Blue Diamond Prelude (Aus-G3) for colts. He is one of
two — the other being Bantam (Exceed and Excel) — to be saddled by Godolphin
trainer John O’Shea in his first year on the job, and a victory would be a
fitting next chapter in what has been a remarkable juvenile season for that
team.
Sampeah adds blinkers, and jockey Chad Schofield told RacingNetwork.com.au he
thought that could move his mount forward.
“I think with the blinkers it will really switch him on early and he’ll be
able to hold a spot,” the rider said. “I think he’s a very good horse and the
blinkers will really improve him. I think he’ll be a lot closer to the speed. If
he can do that and finish the way he did in the Prelude he’s going to be a key
runner.”
A win by Pride of Dubai would also mark a Blue Diamond repeat, in this
instance for trainer Peter Snowden, who saddled Godolphin’s Earthquake (Exceed
and Excel) to victory last year just months before going public in a new
training establishment with his son Paul. Pride of Dubai was third behind “TDN
Rising Star” Ottoman (Exceed and Excel) on debut at Rosehill December 20, and
came running late to split Of the Brave (Starspangledbanner) and Sampeah when
second in the Prelude.
Of the Brave has been the subject of great controversy this week with his
trainer, Mark Riley, successfully having a three-year ban from racing for a TC02
positive postponed in order to saddle him. While Of the Brave’s trainer has
turned heads for the wrong reason, there is no denying the natural ability of
his stable star; Of the Brave was a cozy debut winner in the listed Inglis
Debutant S. over this course October 11, and won the Prelude off the layoff in
his only other start two weeks ago.
Thurlow (Sebring) has been an early success story for Qatar Racing in
Australia. Purchased for A$150,000 by David Redvers at last year’s Inglis Easter
sale, the chestnut checked in third on debut in the Emirates Airline Plate
(Aus-G3) at Flemington November 4 and has since won two straight: the listed
Santa’s Magical Kingdom S. 11 days later, and the February 7 Chairman’s S.
(Aus-G3), both going 1000 meters at Sandown.
A rather unknown but interesting proposition here is the Coolmore partners’
Lake Geneva (Fastnet Rock). The bay filly put in a huge effort when second after
traveling wide throughout in her lone start in the Widden S. (Aus-G3) at
Rosehill January 31.
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