Latta laps up Oaks day
won’t have to work hard to get cover this week.”
Latta also demonstrated her faith in Capital Diamond by going to $180,000 to buy the half-brother, by Stravinsky, at Karaka in January.
Lucky Unicorn did not win past 1600m and is from a sprinting family but Diamond Smile, the dam of Capital Diamond, is a Zabeel mare and a sister to Australian Derby winner Don Eduardo.
Diamond Smile, a daughter of Diamond Lover, failed to win in a brief race career but her Stravinsky filly made $775,000 at Karaka in 2009 and a Keeper filly made $375,000 last year.
Capital Diamond will be ridden by Awapuni jockey Jonathan Riddell who has long been convinced that the filly was an Oaks candidate.
“I don’t think the distance will be a problem,” Riddell said. “She tries too hard not to get it. It’s a nice draw for her and hopefully we will get a bit of cover. She’s a freegoing type, with a high cruising speed, but usually relaxes when she gets cover.”
When Riddell rode Can’t Keeper Down in the 2009 Oaks it was his first ride in a Group I race for almost 10 years and he did not expect it to be a regular occurrence. “There goes my chance to win a Group I,” he said ruefully after the race.
However, Riddell proved to be a better rider than he was a prophet and has since won six Group I races and established himself as a top class flat rider.
Lady Platinum, a Savabeel filly, took nine starts to win a maiden but her two starts at a middle distance have produced a win and a fourth and Latta does not see her as a forlorn hope tomorrow.
“We were always looking to get her to the Oaks. She was a bit disappointing a couple of times but her form improved once she got over ground.
“She will definitely get the distance and her work on Tuesday was every bit as good as Capital Diamond’s. They worked together and both went well.”
Latta will have a dozen runners at Trentham and is represented in three of the four black type races.
Douro Cup winner L’amour tackles the $70,000 Group III Cuddle Stakes (1600m) and Galaxy Star will attempt to make it four wins in succession when he takes on Eight Schillings and Italian Princess in the $50,000 Lightning Stakes (1200m). HORSE of the year Jimmy Choux will resume in the Easter Handicap at Ellerslie on April 14.
Hastings trainer John Bary yesterday said the $200,000 1600m feature would be Jimmy Choux’s starting point for a three-race autumn campaign that would also take in the A$500,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on April 28 and the A$500,000 Doomben Cup (2020m) in Brisbane on May 19.
Jimmy Choux hasn’t raced since finishing ninth in the Hong Kong International Mile at Sha Tin in December.
“He’s been in the paddock longer than we thought he would be, but he’s very well now,” Bary told Australia’s Sky Sport Radio.
“You can only do what your horse will let you do and he’s just taken longer to get over it all. It cost us a shot at a race like the Australian Cup which with just the nine runners last Saturday would have been a nice race to go around in.
“But we’re happy with him now and we can’t wait to unleash him again.”
Bary said Jimmy Choux would be given fast work next week ahead of a trial at Waverley on April 3 – the first time he will have contested a trial – before the Easter Handicap.
“He’ll have to cop a bit of weight but it fits in nicely,” Bary said of the Ellerslie feature.
“He’s matured more with the break. He’s a bit bigger and a bit stronger but he still hasn’t gone colty or heavy on top which is great. If anything, he’s come back even better.”
Bred and raced by Richard and Liz Wood, Jimmy Choux has won 12 of his 24 starts, five of them at Group I level.
He was also second in last year’s Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley, a race Bary intends making his prime target again this year.
“The main aim this year is the Cox Plate. We feel it’s unfinished business,” Bary said.
“How we get there, we are just not sure yet. Whether it involves the New Zealand triple crown at Hastings or maybe it’s one run in New Zealand and then chase some bigger money in Melbourne.”
Meanwhile, Bary will produce No Excuse Maggie, King Leonidas and Jakob Gambino at Trentham tomorrow.
No Excuse Maggie contests the Cuddle Stakes (1600m) as a leadup to the New Zealand Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Te Aroha on April 7.
Bary expects King Leonidas to be competitive in the New Zealand St Leger (2500m) and Jakob Gambino is a form runner in the threeyear-old 1600m. Fairfax NZ