Adelaide filly Miracles Of Life’s Blue Diamond favouritism is under siege following Saturday’s winning efforts from the powerful Darleystable.
Guelph is now joint Blue Diamond favourite after winning at Caulfield. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia
Miracles Of Life didn’t compete on the weekend but Darley trained horses under the guidance of Peter Snowden started to take their grip on the Group 1 $1m Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in two weeks.
The undefeated Miracles Of Life has been joined by Guelph at the top of the Blue Diamond market at $3.20 with Peter Moody’s colt Thermal Current at $6.50.
Snowden’s other top filly Metastasio is on the next line of betting at $8 and Montsegur, who ran second to Guelph on Saturday is at $26, with Darley still to decide if they will pay the $55,000 late entry fee for both fillies.
And even though Kuroshio took out the Group 3 $150,000 Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday, the Exceed And Excel colt is at the long odds of $51.
But Snowden’s Exceed And Excel filly Guelph was the shortener with a dominant win in the Group 3 $150,000 Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Prelude for the fillies over 1100m, living up to Snowden’s expectations.
“I’ve had one race in mind with Guelph and I’ve fancied her all along and she’ll be primed for the day,” Snowden said.
“We’ll have three in the race, maybe four. We’ll discuss that within the next few days.”
But Snowden is still weary of the undefeated Adelaide filly and rates Miracles Of Life the one to beat.
“There’s Miracles Of Life to consider. Without doubt she is the one to beat. She is very good and won very well so whatever I run will need to be on their game,” Snowden said.
Trainer Daniel Clarken kept Miracles Of Life record intact when he brought her to Melbourne to win the Listed $120,000 Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Preview for Fillies (1000m) at Caulfield on January 26 for Lauren Stojakovic who has retained the ride in the Blue Diamond in two weeks.
Clarken still has to pay the late entry fee for Miracles Of Life but that will be a formality with the filly in fine shape after returning to Adelaide following her Caulfield win.
“We don’t have to pay it until the 18th of February, by which time we will have given her a few gallops and we’ll know exactly how she is going,” Clarken said.
“A month between runs is a long time but I think she has the temperament to handle it.
“She’s already shown she’s no speedy squib.
“She’s a genuine racehorse with all the gears to be successful.”
