General Beau turned in a strong performance in the Neds Blue Diamond Preview for colts and geldings at Caulfield keeping the determined challenges of Extreme Warrior and Gulf Of Suez back in the minor placings.
The Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra trained son of Brazen Beau was first-up here but had previously shown to good advantage in his first preparation when winning on debut, beating the more than useful Finance Tycoon, and then going on to finish second in the Listed Maribyrnong Trial.
Jamie Kah, who was scoring win her fiftieth Melbourne Metropolitan win this season here (she leads that Jockey Premiership), has ridden General Beau in all three of his career starts.
Co-trainer Matthew Ellerton was understandably pleased with General Beau’s performance.
“It looked like he was in a tricky spot on the turn … a few of those out wide seemed to have a bit of momentum on him … but he was good enough to knuckle down and get the job done well,” said Ellerton.
“He has really matured fantastically from the Spring. He had a really good break after being a bit shin-sore after his last start. Touch wood … we have really had a faultless prep with him and if he can make his way to a Blue Diamond Prelude, we’ll see what happens then.
“He is not in the Diamond so that will be a conversation we will have to have if we get through a Prelude with him.” (The late entry fee for the Blue Diamond is $55 000).
Jamie Kah continues to ride on the crest of a wave and General Beau was just another horse helping her to keep that scoreboard moving.
“He (General Beau) has come back bigger and better this time,” said Kah. “He was such a baby his first few starts and he still got there on ability and won his first race.
“He was a different horse and a lot more polished today.
“We would have been better out wider ideally, but we had to sort of cop it in the end (being on the inside). He did a little bit wrong still … he laid in and was still a little bit green … but there’s lots of improvement there.”
