Robbie Griffiths will put four of his stable’s two-year-olds to the test in Blue Diamond Previews at Caulfield to determine if they are contenders for Victoria’s premier juvenile race.
The Blue Diamond series kicks off on Saturday with the colts and geldings Preview over 1000m and the fillies Preview over the same distance.
The respective Preludes are two weeks later before the $1.5 million Group One Blue Diamond (1200m) on February 22.
Griffiths, who is back in full swing after recovering from brain surgery, has Glenfiddich and Mysterious Art in Saturday’s males division while Miss Bank Place and Sweet As Scandi will step out in the Fillies Preview.
Only Glenfiddich has race experience and Griffiths believes he is the most likely to make the step up having had the benefit of a spring campaign when fifth in the Maribyrnong Plate and ninth in the Merson Cooper Stakes.
“Glenfiddich is a really nice horse,” Griffiths said.
“He probably should have better form. I think if he drew wide at Flemington in the Maribyrnong Plate he probably would have nearly won.
“He had no luck in the Merson Cooper when he bombed the start and ran into trouble. He has trialled well and he galloped well on Tuesday.
“He goes to the races from a good draw with blinkers on. He could easily take the important step.”
Griffiths said the unraced three were being thrown in the deep end to see if they measured up.
“Mysterious Art worked with Glenfiddich on Tuesday and stayed with him so that was a good sign,” he said.
“He’s unraced but he’s done everything right at home. He’s out of a Galileo mare so he might want a bit more time but it’s time to see what he can do.
“Whether he’s up to that level, we’ll find out on Saturday.”
He said it was a similar scenario with the two fillies who have shown enough in trials and training to earn a crack in the Preview.
Griffiths also trained the dams of both Miss Bank Place (Tottenham Girl) and Sweet As Scandi (Gail) and said he was surprised they were showing as much speed as they were this early in their careers.
“All four have got racetrack futures. It’s just a question of who is mature enough at two,” he said.
