A Chance To Shine
Fontiton (Aus) (Turffontein {Aus}) has yet to put a foot wrong in her short career, and she faces her stiffest test yet in tomorrow’s A$1 million G1 Blue Diamond S., Australia’s second-richest juvenile contest. Fontiton cost Matchem Racing A$110,000 at last year’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, and that figure looks like a bargain now that the dark bay has bankrolled almost A$400,000 in just four months of competition. The Robert Smerdon charge aired by six lengths going 1000 meters first out at Moonee Valley Oct. 25, after which she was immediately put on the shelf. She resumed with a score in the fillies’ division of the G3 Blue Diamond Preview at Sandown Jan. 26, and was nearly two lengths the best in her most recent test, the fillies’ division of the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude over 1100 meters of this course two weeks ago. In a race where the draw is key, Fontiton has landed on the rail, a spot connections would surely prefer to a wide gate, but she will need to be on her toes to break fast and find a good early position.
Smerdon vocalized after the Feb. 14 Blue Diamond Preludes that he considered Sampeah (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) and Pride of Dubai (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) the biggest threats to his favorite. A win by Sampeah would make it back-to-back Blue Diamonds for Sheikh Mohammed and three overall, and the bay–who scored first-out at Rosehill Nov. 29–certainly boosted his credentials with a fast-finishing third in G3 B.D. Prelude for colts. He is one of two–the other being Bantam (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus})–to be saddled by Godolphin trainer John O’Shea in his first year on the job, and a victory would be a fitting next chapter in what has been a remarkable juvenile season for that team. Sampeah adds blinkers, and jockey Chad Schofield told RacingNetwork.com.au he thought that could move his mount forward.
“I think with the blinkers it will really switch him on early and he’ll be able to hold a spot,” the rider said. “I think he’s a very good horse and the blinkers will really improve him. I think he’ll be a lot closer to the speed. If he can do that and finish the way he did in the Prelude he’s going to be a key runner.”
A win by Pride of Dubai would also mark a Blue Diamond repeat, in this instance for trainer Peter Snowden, who saddled Godolphin’s Earthquake (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) to victory last year just months before going public in a new training establishment with his son Paul. Pride of Dubai was third behind ‘TDN Rising Star’ Ottoman (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) on debut at Rosehill Dec. 20, and came running late to split Of The Brave (Aus) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) and Sampeah when second in the Prelude.
Of The Brave has been the subject of great controversy this week with his trainer, Mark Riley, successfully having a three-year ban from racing for a TC02 positive postponed in order to saddle him. While Of The Brave’s trainer has turned heads for the wrong reason, there is no denying the natural ability of his stable star; Of The Brave was a cozy debut winner in the Listed Inglis Debutant S. over this course Oct. 11, and won the Prelude off the layoff in his only other start two weeks ago.
Thurlow (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) has been an early success story for Qatar Racing in Australia. Purchased for A$150,000 by David Redvers at last year’s Inglis Easter sale, the chestnut checked in third on debut in the G3 Emirates Airline Plate at Flemington Nov. 4 and has since won two straight: the Listed Santa’s Magical Kingdom S. 11 days later, and the Feb. 7 G3 Chairman’s S., both going 1000 meters at Sandown.
A rather unknown but interesting proposition here is the Coolmore partners’ Lake Geneva (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). The bay filly put in a huge effort when second after traveling wide throughout in her lone start in the G3 Widden S. at Rosehill Jan. 31.