Diamond Drille has made her first public appearance since she took out the 2014 Queen Of The Turf Stakes with a third place finish behind Splash Out and Greatwood in a barrier trial at Royal Randwick this morning.
Diamond Drille scored an upset win over a strong field in the 2014 Queen Of The Turf Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
Diamond Drille contested the third barrier trial of the morning over 1050 metres and was kept under a heavy hold by jockey Tommy Berry throughout, while both Splash Out and Greatwood were both asked for an extra effort in the final 100 metres.
The daughter of Al Maher has scored five wins from ten starts in her racing career to date and stamped herself as a mare to watch with a couple of impressive victories during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.
Diamond Drille resumed with a fifth place finish in the Group 3 Triscay Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on February 22 and was never able to get into the race when eighth in the Group 3 Wiggle Stakes (1400m), but scored her maiden black type win in the Group 3 The Aspiration (1600m) at Royal Randwick on March 15.
The four-year-old finished fourth behind Catkins in the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes (1500m) and went into the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) as one of the outsiders, but produced the best performance of her career to date to defeat Gypsy Diamond, Red Tracer and Streama.
Diamond Drille is a chance of returning to the races in the Group 3 Toy Show Quality (1300m) at Royal Randwick on August 23 and the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington on November 1 will be the major 2014 Spring Racing Carnival target for the talented mare.
Splash Out has joined the stable of David Vandyke after previously being prepared by Guy Walter and is yet to have a metropolitan race start after scoring two wins from four starts at Goulburn, while Greatwood is an imported European stayer, previously prepared by Luca Cumani, that had form around the likes of Our Voodoo Prince and Saptapadi in the United Kingdom.
Chris Waller-trained stayer Brigantin, who finished fourth in the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m), was outpaced in the early stages of the barrier trial, but was able to make up ground late.
Team Cummings-trained Sindariya was making his first public appearance since arriving in Australia and was unable to keep in contact with the rest of the field.
