Big race jockey Glen Boss is looking for better luck for Nostradamus after the colt drew barrier eleven out of sixteen in the Group 1 $1m Sportingbet Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Glen Boss is looking for better luck for Nostradamus in the Blue Diamond Stakes. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Nostradamus put in an extraordinary effort last start when fourth to Rubick in the Group 3 $150,000 Sportingbet Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (1100m) at Caulfield on February 8 after jumping from the outside alley in the sixteen horse field.
The Team Hawkes trained two year old jumped awkwardly, over reaching and lost a shoe and as a result Boss had to settle further back in the field than anticipated.
Boss was able to balance up Nostradamus on the home turn and the Medaglia D’Oro colt made up many lengths in the straight to finish less than two lengths from Rubick.
“My horse ran extraordinary the other day. He jumped and over-reached and took his shoe straight off,” Boss told AAP.
“I was intending to ride him quiet but he got too far out of his ground because he just wouldn’t go because of that.
“I thought he was very good and closed off well.”
Nostradamus has drawn slightly better on Saturday and might give Boss more options in the early and middle stages.
“His first win was soft. He cantered in front and breezed to the line with no pressure,” Boss said.
“The other day things went wrong for him early with the shoe thing and then I drove him to get him into a spot and he got it wrong a bit for four of five strides. So he’s still getting there.”
Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Rubick drew just worse than midfield and Brenton Avdulla will be able to position the Gerald Ryan trained colt just off the pace if he leaves the barriers cleanly.
Unbeaten Darley filly Earthquake will jump one from the outside giving Queensland jockey Damian Browne plenty of work to do to get the Exceed And Excel filly into a trouble free position.
Rubick and Earthquake from the Peter Snowden stable are both undefeated from two race starts and ran identical times (1.3.71s) in winning the two divisions of the Group 3 $150,000 Sportingbet Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield on February 8.
James McDonald is certain to push the unbeaten Gai Waterhouse filly Nayeli forward from gate nine after she raced on the pace at her two wins, the latest when an easy two and a quarter lengths win in the Group 3 $135,000 Mal Seccull Chairman’s Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on February 1.
Waterhouse’s other runner Francesco will jump from gate eight with Vlad Duric to ride.
Mick Price’s two runners were well treated at the barrier draw with Jubali coming up with gate three with Damien Oliver to ride and Cornrow drawing beside his stablemate and will jump from gate four with Luke Nolen on board.
Chivalry from the Mark Kavanagh stable comes into calculations from barrier five with Stephen Baster after making up many lengths in the straight to finish third to Rubick in the Blue Diamond Prelude after jumping from gate fourteen.
Cranbourne trainer Robbie Laing will back up Boomwaa in the Blue Diamond Stakes after finishing tenth to Snitzerland in the Group 1 $500,000 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington last Saturday.
Boomwaa with Noel Callow to ride has drawn wide at thirteen while stablemate Golconda will jump from gate two with Daniel Stackhouse.
