Promising filly Formidable has emerged as the new Blue Diamond Stakes hope for co-trainers Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra.
Less than two weeks after the stable’s chances appeared to be snuffed out when exciting youngster Sweet Little Lies pulled up shin sore after finishing fourth in a Blue Diamond Preview, Formidable is staking her claim on the $1 million Caulfield feature on February 25.
Owners Barry and Midge Griffiths need to find $55,000 for the late entry and a decision will be made later in the week whether the Strada filly tries to fund the cost by backing up in Saturday’s Blue Diamond Prelude for fillies at Caulfield.
At her only two starts Formidable led all the way to win at Flemington on January 14 and on Saturday was a gallant half length second to debut winner Mama’s Choice who is now $8 equal second favourite for the Diamond with TAB Sportsbet.
“Everything is a bit up in the air at the moment about running Saturday but whether she runs or not I think she is worthy of a start in the Blue Diamond,” Zahra said.
“If there was a Sepoy (last year’s dominant winner) around you probably wouldn’t pay the $55,000 but in every two-year-old race there has been a new winner”.
“We have spoken to Barry about it and it is not often you get a chance to run in the Blue Diamond and I don’t think he has ever had a runner in the race.
“It is a lot of money to pay up but if she can finish in the first three she is stakes-placed, gets the prizemoney and bit later on he can sell her for what ever he wants.”
Zahra said Formidable was her own worst enemy on Saturday when she got running under jockey Chris Symons from the 600 metres when the pace slackened.
“It wasn’t Chris’s fault. She is not an easy horse to ride,” Zahra said.
“She just got going on him and he had to pull out four deep on her.
“He tried to hold her together but she used all that energy from the 600 to the 400 (metres) and she was a bit of a sitting duck late.
“If she could draw a gate in the Diamond she has got to be thereabouts.”
Fillies Blue Diamond Preview winner Malasun is among 13 entries for Saturday’s Prelude.
The colts and geldings Prelude has attracted 12 entries without Preview winner The Travelling Man.
Trainer Matt Laurie said The Travelling Man would have “a soft trial” next week and go in to the Blue Diamond without another run.
“I just don’t think he needs three runs in six weeks,” Laurie said.
“There is only so many runs you can get out of a two-year-old and I don’t want to waste one on something that is not imperative.”
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