Blue Diamond favourite Jimando can tighten his grip on the $1 million race with a strong performance in Saturday’s Emirates Airlines Stakes at Caulfield.
Trainer Tony McEvoy revealed he had given a lot of thought to running the Commands colt first up in the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 25 before opting to kick him off in Saturday’s Listed 1100m set-weights plus penalties event.
“I strongly considered running in the Diamond first up, that’s what I think of his capacity to run the ground no problems. But because he’s done so well and he’s a big lump of a two-year-old I thought we’d run him first,” McEvoy said.
McEvoy told Radio Sport National Jimando had gone even better than he expected when he won the Listed Debutants Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield at his only appearance on October 12 when backed from $21 to start at $13.
“Babies normally make a few mistakes and they don’t quite take what you know of them to the races but he actually went to the races and took it up another stage.
“That was the best I’d ever seen him go on the day.”
Blake Shinn will ride the colt who drew barrier two in the 11-horse field.
“He’ll be forward. He’s got speed and I’ll leave it to Blake. If there’s no pressure he could lead and if there’s pressure he could just follow.”
McEvoy said the bay colt, who weighs 540kg, had done really well in his preparation towards the Blue Diamond and later on the Golden Slipper.
“I’m very happy. He’s certainly gone the right way and the form around him has been very complimentary to the horse,” he said.
Jimando is stoutly bred, being out of the Caerleon mare Finko, a winner over 2600m.
McEvoy said he believed the colt would get 2000m later on.
During the 33 years he spent working for the Hayes family, McEvoy saw six Blue Diamond winners from Mahaasin (1990) to Reaan (2008) come through Lindsay Park.
“I think this horse holds his own with those in the comparative work up the hills at Lindsay Park, or Kildalton Park,” he said.
McEvoy trains at Kildalton Park, the portion of Lindsay Park he and business partner Wayne Mitchell bought in 2010.
Sportingbet Australia has reported good backing for Jimando in Saturday’s race with bets of $10,000 and $7000 placed on the colt.
“Jimando has been really well supported at $2.40 with a number of big bets coming in,” Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said.
He said Jimando had also been well supported in the Blue Diamond trimming up from $6.60 to $5.50 favouritism.
He is also at $5.50 with TAB Sportsbet which has him at $2.15 for Saturday’s race.
AAP TURF
