Untamed Diamond set to sparkle in Sydney
Richard Collett has set no time frame around the length of Untamed Diamond’s Australian stay.
The Pukekohe Park trainer is taking a relaxed approach to her current campaign, which gained winning momentum last time out at Canterbury.
‘‘There’s a series of races here that suit her and there’s another one coming up over 1100 metres at Canterbury where the track is ideal for her,’’ Collett said from his temporary Warwick Farm base.
‘‘She has strengthened a lot and we could look at a black type race if she continues to improve.
She’s by Snitzel out of a stakes winning mare so she’s valuable.’’
Untamed Diamond won three of her 10 starts in New Zealand and crossed the Tasman after finishing fifth behind Xtravagant in the Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes.
‘‘She left New Zealand on a rating of 72 and the New South Wales handicapper re-rated her to 76,’’ Collett said.
‘‘It took three runs for her to go down to 72 again – not that she went poorly, she had bad draws and was getting caught three wide.’’
Untamed Diamond was accompanied to Sydney by Our Ventura, who has had three runs in New South Wales.
‘‘She’s placed in her last couple and she’ll run at Canterbury on Wednesday,’’ Collett said.
‘‘She’s really improving well.’’
His son Jason will ride the Iffraaj mare in a 1550 metre benchmark handicap.
The genuine Hot Mustard is as also paying his way with cheques in each of his last three appearances.
‘‘We sent him over a couple of years ago and he’s done well,’’ said Collett, whose lightly-raced 5-yearold City Boy won at Ruakaka on Saturday.
Hot Mustard won three races for Nowra trainer Robert Price before returning to Collett’s care for his current campaign.
Meanwhile, Tavago will be nominated for Saturday’s Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley, but his 4-year-old debut is expected to come a week later.
Co-trainer Natalie Young said the Australian Derby winner, who ran second in a Cranbourne trial on Monday, is more likely to run the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington on September 10.
Tavago was to have resumed in last Saturday’s Memsie takes at Caulfield, but he failed to eat up after losing a tooth and had to be scratched.
Quintessentially’s spring preparation will begin in earnest later this month.
New Zealand star Xtravagant’s first Australian start for the season has been delayed and he will not run at Moonee Valley.
Te Akau Racing said the fouryear-old left some feed on Sunday morning and had a slight temperature.
He was treated and back to normal by Monday but connections decided he would miss Saturday’s Listed Chandler Mcleod Stakes (1200m) and wait a week for the Group II Bobbie Lewis at Flemington.