Darley’s Melbourne stable foreman Paul Snowden is happy with the condition of Earthquake heading into the 2014 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Earthquake will return to the races in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart
Earthquake made her first public appearance since heading to Melbourne in a barrier trial over 800 metres at Cranbourne last Thursday and suffered a surprise defeat to speedy Mick Price-trained filly More Radiant.
A number of onlookers questioned the performance of Earthquake, but Snowden told TVN this morning that he was happy with the trial effort and is delighted with the way that the daughter of Exceed And Excel has progressed in the last few days.
“We didn’t want her to have a gut buster, she did it within herself and she ran time,” Snowden said.
“She had a good blow and that’s why she will do a bit of work again tomorrow.
“I think she has gone on from the trial, she is eating well and everything points towards there on Saturday and ticking another box.”
Earthquake recorded a comfortable win on debut at Royal Randwick on November 9 last year, but will face a far stiffer task in the Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude at Caulfield this weekend.
The training partnership of Peter Morgan and Craig Widdison have included Eloping in the nominations for the Group 3 event and the daughter of Choisir will have the chance to record her third win from as many starts.
Eloping debuted with a comfortable win in the BJC Members Celebration Maiden (900m) at Bendigo on December 22 before stamping herself as a contender for the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 22 with an impressive win over Lumosty and Sakitto in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) at Caulfield on January 25.
Another undefeated filly included in the nominations for the Blue Diamond Prelude is Ciaron Maher-trained Top Sight, who impressed with a comfortable win in a barrier trial over 800 metres at Sandown on Friday.
The daughter of Bon Hoffa will be having just her second race start after working home strongly in the final stages to win the Jacob Park Thoroughbreds Plate (1000m) at Caulfield on January 15.
Nominations for the Blue Diamond Prelude For Fillies have been extended until tomorrow morning, but David Hayes-trained Mumbai Rock, Pendant Equine-owned Royal Ocean and Snitzel filly Snitsnbits are all set to make their racing debuts in the Group 3 event.
