Father and daughter training pair Ken and Kasey Keys have some thinking to do over the next few days as to whether a late nomination fee will be paid following Alibaba’s win in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview for colts and geldings at Caulfield.
Although not nominated for the $2 million Group 1 blue riband for two-year-olds on February 21, the Keys’ do have another option if they choose not to pay the $55,000 price to stay in the hunt.
“He has really settled down this prep,” Kasey said.
“He wasn’t the easiest early on but he has been gaining confidence every day.
“We’ve always known that he has the motor but it has just been a matter of him putting it together.”
Having been purchased at the 2025 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, the $2 million Inglis Millennium (1100m) at Randwick on February 7 is the alternative path available.
“He handled everything like an absolute professional,” jockey Craig Newitt said.
“He began well and once he got a half-length in front he wandered around a little bit but next time I think if we ride him a bit more conservative then you’ll see his big finish.”
The son of 2020 Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) winner Alabama Express and out of a lightly raced former Yulong mare Rowsthorn, Alibaba debuted for a third placing in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on November 29.
Alibaba beat home the Ciaron Maher-trained Milsons Point by a neck-margin in a time of 58.70 seconds with unlucky stablemate Invicto a head-margin away in third after suffering interference about 200-metres from the line.
Despite not being nominated, Alibaba is in the Blue Diamond Stakes market at $15.
Listed Maribyrnong Trial (1000m) winner Eurcanto was race favourite as the field were loading into the barriers but colt by Per Incanto was a late scratching after rearing in the gates.
