Promising filly Oohood is the best of trainer Tony McEvoy’s three runners in the Group 2 $200,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) for the fillies at Caulfield on Saturday.

Luke Currie, above, rides Oohood in the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude for the fillies at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Luke Currie, above, rides Oohood in the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude for the fillies at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Oohooh made up plenty of ground late to finish third behind Lady Horseowner and Crossing The Abbey in the Group 3 $150,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Preview (Fillies) (1000m) at Caulfield on January 27 and McEvoy is certain a win is not far away.

“Oohood is bursting to win a race,” McEvoy told The Daily Telegraph.

Oohood has drawn in the middle of the thirteen horse field at six and will be ridden again by Luke Currie with a set of winkers going on for the first time.

“I’ve put a set of winkers on to help her in a field but she is a smart filly,’’ McEvoy said.

Oohood has shown McEvoy plenty of potential from early on in her preparation and was sent out as the favourite for her debut when a nose second to Long Leaf in the Listed $120,000 Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m) at Sandown at the end of the 2017 Melbourne Spring Carnival.

The I Am Invincible filly has been installed as the favourite again in the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude at $3.40 with Ladbrokes.com.au while McEvoy’s other runners are longer in the betting with Al Naifa at $8 and Lake District Girl one of the outsiders of the field at $20.

Craig Williams takes the ride on Al Naifa who has drawn the outside gate at thirteen while Lake District Girl is not much better off at gate ten with Damian Lane booked to ride.

Oohood will be clashing again with the Tim Hughes trained Crossing The Abbey who is sharing the third line of betting at $8 with Al Naifa and Downloads.

Crossing The Abbey who has drawn awkwardly at barrier nine and will be ridden by Beau Mertens who replaces Craig Williams who was aboard for her second in the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Preview and her previous run when she won a 1000m two year old fillies Plate down the Flemington straight on New Year’s Day.

 

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.