Co-trainer Tom Dabernig rates maiden two year old Air Apparent the best of Lindsay Park’s three Blue Diamond Stakes runners.
Claudia Jean, above, is one of three fillies Tom Dabernig and David Hayes have running in the Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.
Dabernig trains in partnership with David Hayes at their iconic Euroa property and will saddle up three fillies in the Group 1 $1m Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
As well as Air Apparent, Dabernig and Hayes will have Claudia Jean and Reemah trying to win the Blue Diamond Stakes for the sixth time for Hayes who took out the race with Canonise (1991), Principality (1995), Nadeem (2006), Sleek Chassis (2007) and Reann (2008) before forming a training partnership with his nephew.
Even though Air Apparent is yet to win a race from three starts, Dabernig rates the Snitzel filly the best his three and was impressed with the her last start fourth to Fontiton in the Group 2 $200,000 Sportingbet Blue Diamond Prelude (F) (1100m) at Caulfield on February 14 when she made up plenty of ground from the back.
“I am happy to have them all in there but I feel I reckon Air Apparent could surprise,” Dabernig told RSN’s Racing Ahead.
“She really attacked the line. She is a filly that has had the benefit of a couple of runs now and I think that she’s better for that and I think she is the sort of filly that will be ridden a bit patiently in the early part.”
“I think she will be doing her best work over the final stages. I am very happy having her in the race.”
“She will be ridden by Damian Lane I am quietly confident with her chances.”
Claudia Jean is the only one of the three fillies to have won a race and scored on debut down the Flemington straight over 1000m on December 20 before heading to the Gold Coast where she ran a close seventh to Le Chef in the $2m Jeep Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) on January 10.
Dabernig said that the Not A Single Doubt filly has recovered well from her trip away and will race with the blinkers on for the first time.
“She has the makings of a really nice filly. I think the 1200m will be ideal, and we are putting the blinkers on her for the race and will be ridden by Michael Walker,” Dabernig said.
“It is always a big ask taking them all the way to the Gold Coast. She came back and had the benefit of sometime at the farm where she’s been out in the paddock and she seems to have freshened up really nicely.”
“She has had the benefit of a couple of jump outs at Flemington and as you saw in her win down the straight she has definitely got the ability there and we are really happy to have her in the race on Saturday.”
Reemah with Chris Symons to ride, has yet to win but showed significant improvement at her second race start when runner up to Heatherly over 1000m at Moonee Valley on February 6 and has pleased Dabernig with her work since.
“She is a filly that always shown us a lot of ability. She hasn’t quite done it at the races but her work here, we worked her last Friday, and she is really flying,” Dabernig said.
“I think she could run a cheeky race at odds.”
Claudia Jean drew well at barrier two as did Air Apparent at four while Reemah drew out wide at thirteen in the fifteen horse field.
The three Lindsay Park fillies are all at long odds for the Blue Diamond Stakes at Ladbtokes.com.au with Air Apparent at $26, Claudia Jean at $31 and Reemah the outsider of the field at $101.
The Robert Smerdon trained filly Fontiton heads the market order at $2.45 after drawing barrier one with Pride Of Dubai from the Peter and Paul Snowden stable the second pick at $5.50.
