Promising gelding Tan Tat Diamond will defend his undefeated record when he makes his debut at Group level in the 2014 McNeil Stakes at Caulfield tomorrow.
Tan Tat Diamond has recorded two wins from two starts during his racing career to date. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Tan Tat Diamond made his racing debut with a narrow win on the synthetic track at Geelong on July 1 before he calmed with maiden metropolitan win with an impressive victory over a strong field in the Hong Kong Jockey Club Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on July 19.
Trainer Peter Moody told Racing Ahead that he has been impressed with both performances from Tan Tat Diamond and he believes that the Fastnet Rock gelding is heading into the McNeil Stakes in excellent condition after he produced a stellar effort at trackwork earlier this week.
“He is not unlike Flamberge this horse, he is very unassuming, never does a lot for us at home and he has gone to the races and done the job very nicely twice,” Moody said.
“The pleasing thing was, off the back of a freshen-up his gallop here on Tuesday was probably as good as he has ever worked.
“He goes to the races with that little bit of a residual fitness base over most of his opposition and he is in good shape.”
Tan Tat Diamond has been included in the nominations for both the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) that will be held at Caulfield on October 11 and the Group 3 Caulfield Classic (2000m) at the same venue a week later, but Moody admits that at this stage he is unsure whether the three-year-old is capable of being competitive at the highest level of racing and will decide on his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival path after he runs in the McNeil Stakes this weekend.
“He is a racehorse and to be honest I am not getting a feel at home on where I can head, so I am just going to take him to the races and let him steer me,” Moody said.
“We have him nommed for the Guineas and those sort of races, which I think his form has warranted and we just need to look and learn a bit tomorrow.
“He will show us the way basically.”
Tan Tat Diamond is currently available at 2014 McNeil Stakes odds of $17, while Novel Dancer ($5) is a narrow favourite in the betting market with Ladbrokes Australia from Stingray ($6.50), Chivalry ($7) and Awesome Rock ($7.50).
