Godolphin fillies Promenades and Pursuits are set to make their debuts in the 2015 Blue Diamond Fillies Preview and Racing Manager Jason Walsh is expecting both fillies to perform strongly in the Listed event at Sandown on Monday.
Damian Browne will make the trip to Melbourne on Monday to ride Promenades in the 2015 Blue Diamond Fillies Preview. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Promenades started his autumn campaign with an impressive barrier trial victory over 900 metres at Rosehill Gardens on January 6, while Pursuits was kept under a tight hold and was still able to finish second in a barrier trial over 800 metres at Sandown on January 13.
O’Shea admits that Promenades and Pursuits will face stiff competition when they face Fontiton in the Blue Diamond Fillies Preview, but he is confident that the duo will prove more than competitive and could easily quinella the Blue Diamond Stakes lead-up event.
“It is challenging to start fillies of this nature off in this grade, but we think they are up to the mark,” Walsh told Racing Ahead.
“They have both trialed really well and they are both very good looking daughters of Lonhro.
“On what they have shown us at home they are stakes class, but they come up against a pretty hot race and Fontiton will be the testing material.
“We expect them to run right up to their best and I am hoping they will be more than competitive.”
Godolphin are well represented in both the Blue Diamond Previews at Sandown on Monday; with both Mesa and Demonstrate set to contest the Colts and Geldings edition.
Walsh is confident that Mesa can win the Blue Diamond Colts and Geldings, but he revealed that he believes both Promenades and Pursuits are more likely to be able to challenge in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 28.
“I think with Mesa what you see is what you get,” Walsh said.
“He is a nice little son of Lonhro and I expect him to be hard to beat in a Blue Diamond Preview, but whether he has the class to go on and win the feature is another thing.
“The filles look to have a bit more scope.
“Daughters and sons of Lonhro tend to be better in their three-year-old year, so the fact they are showing us this sort of ability already suggest that they have promise.
“We wouldn’t be surprised if they fought out the finish.”
Fontiton ($1.80) is a clear favourite in the 2015 Blue Diamond Fillies Preview betting market with Ladbrokes Australia, while Promenades is on the third line of betting at $7 and Pursuits is available at a quote of $17.
