Calliope is currently on top of 2016 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude betting markets, but trainer John O’Shea has warned punters that the talented filly will take plenty of improvement from her run in the Group 2 event at Caulfield tomorrow.
Calliope is currently a clear favourite in betting markets for the 2016 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude at Caulfield this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart
Calliope made her racing debut with a fast-finishing victory in the Listed Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick on October 3 and the form coming out of that race has been very strong, but O’Shea told Radio TAB that the daughter of Exceed And Excel is not at anywhere near her peak for the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude and he is confident that she will produce an improved performance the next time she is seen at the races.
“She has a lot of improvement on whatever she does on Saturday,” O’ Shea said,
“She is about 30 kilos heavier than she was when she raced in the Gimcrack.
“She has two runs into a Golden Slipper hopefully.
“Saturday is a nice day for her, but she has nice improvement from whatever she does.”
Calliope was fractious in the barriers in the lead-up to the Gimcrack Stakes and she ended up missing the start badly to give up a big start to her rivals.
O’Shea said that his team has put in plenty of work to ensure that Calliope does not miss the start again, but he admitted that he won’t know whether that has been effective until the start of the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude tomorrow.
“She can be a little fractious and we have been working on that,” O’Shea said.
“Hopefully we have ironed out a few issues there, but you still like to see them on race day.
“She was good in the gates in her jump out at Flemington, but we need to see her do it on race day.
“We think she has good ability and she is a lovely filly.”
Calliope is currently available at 2016 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude odds of $2.90 and she is a clear favourite from Sword Of Light ($6.50), Samara Dancer ($8), Concealer ($8.50), Zamzam ($9) and Dream First ($9).
Godolphin have previously taken out the Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude with Earthquake in 2014 and Guelph in 2013, while O’Shea is chasing his first ever victory in the Group 2 event at Caulfield tomorrow.
