A good racing surface for the running of the Listed $150,000 Smithfield RSL Club Rosebud (1100m) will help the chances of smart colt Diamond Tathagata at Rosehill on Saturday.
Diamond Tathagata, above in blue and yellow colours, will appreciate the good racing surface for the Rosebud at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
The Rosehill track was rated a good 3 on Friday and with no rain in sight for the weekend, trainer Mark Newnham will be happy to see Diamond Tathagata back on top of the ground.
“His four starts to date have all been on heavy tracks. I think the horse will be better on top of the ground,” Newnham told AAP.
Even though Diamond Tathagata was able to win the Group 2 $200,000 Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on February 25 on a heavy 8 track and earn a start in the Golden Slipper, Newnham thinks the Hinchinbrook colt will be better suited on a good rated racing surfaces.
All of Diamond Tathagata’s four race starts have been on the heavy tracks and after running second at his first race start to She Will Reign in the Restricted Listed $500,000 Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Randwick on December 17, Newnham decided to pursue a start in the Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 18.
The win in the Skyline Stakes saw Diamond Tathagata earn a start in the Golden Slipper but the assignment on the heavy 10 track was too hard and the colt was beaten ten and a half lengths into seventh position behind She Will Reign.
“He ran into She Will Reign and did a good job in the Inglis Nursery so we decided to have a crack at qualifying for the Slipper,” Newnham said.
Newnham gave Diamond Tathagata one more run during the 2017 Sydney Autumn Carnival but he failed again on a heavy 8 track when twelfth to Invader in the Group 1 $1m Inglis Sires’ (1400m) at Randwick on April 1.
Newnham is hopeful that Diamond Tathagata has all the attributes to measure up in top company during the 2017 Spring Carnival.
“He’s just a big, strong, tough colt and he’s got a good manner about him. He’s got a good racing style,” he said.
Blake Shinn has been booked to ride Diamond Tahtagata who will jump from barrier six in the eight horse Rosebud field.
Betting for the Rosebud at Ladbrokes.com.au has Diamond Tathagata marked at $11 while the Gerald Ryan trained Menari at $3.10 and Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s Siege Of Quebec at $3.20 continued to fight it out for favouritism at the top of the market order.
