Blue Diamond in sights of Tony McEvoy’s stable

Trainer Tony McEvoy is hoping to add to his contingent of Blue Diamond runners via the Preludes at Caulfield.

McEvoy already has Run Naan and Saturday’s impressive debut winner Kinky Boom in the field for the Group One Blue Diamond (1200m) at Caulfield on February 24 and hopes to add that list on Saturday.

Run Naan will contest the colts and geldings division while he could have three fillies run in their division.

Oohood will take her place in the race over 1100m while McEvoy will make a decision later in the week whether she will be joined by Al Naifa and Roobeena.

McEvoy will put winkers on Oohood on Saturday following her unlucky third in the Blue Diamond Fillies Preview on January 27.

“I’m really pleased with her,” McEvoy said.

“She seems to get back in that spot where you need a bit of luck and the other day she was luckless.

“She’s going well but I think a set of winkers might just make her a bit more of a racehorse.

“We get one more chance for her to get in.”

Successful at his two starts in the spring including the Group Three Maribyrnong Plate, Run Naan returned with a closing 2-1/4 length third to Long Leaf in the Blue Diamond Preview for colts and geldings.

McEvoy says the run has tightened the colt up and he believes Saturday’s run will bring him right to his peak.

“He looked very full and beautiful in the paddock before the race the other day and he looked the horse to me that would improve the most out of the race,” McEvoy said.

“He’s trained on well and that improvement I think is shining through.”

The Lindsay Park-trained Long Leaf heads Blue Diamond markets at $7 ahead of McEvoy’s pair of Kinky Boom ($8) and Oohood ($9) while Run Naan is a $26 chance.