Diamond Valores will return to racing in the 2015 Eskimo Prince Stakes at Rosehill Gardens tomorrow and co-trainer Paul Snowden is confident that the promising gelding is ready to run well fresh.
Kerrin McEvoy has been booked to ride Diamond Valores in the 2015 Eskimo Prince Stakes this weekend. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Diamond Valroes started his racing career with back-to-back wins at Canterbury and he was sent to the spelling paddock after he finished second behind Group 1 placegetter Sweynesse in the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 27.
Snowden told Racing Ahead that Diamond Valores exceeded expectations during his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign and he said that the Tavistock gelding is a much more mature horse ahead of the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) this weekend.
“He is a really improving type of staying horse,” Snowden said.
“To get as far as we did with him last time was just a bonus and he has certainly grown and matured into a lovely staying horse.
“He has proved before that he can sprint well fresh and he is up to a trip where he can do so.
“I know that it is only a small field, which might be a little bit tactical, but he has been working quiet sharp at home and his trial suggests he is very fresh in himself.
“It wouldn’t surprise me to see him run well.”
Diamond Valroes has shown a degree of tactical versatility during his racing career to date and was settled just behind the leaders in the Gloaming Stakes, but there are a number of speedy horses in the 2015 Eskimo Prince Stakes field and Snowden feels that jockey Kerrin McEvoy will likely settle the three-year-old towards the tail of the field in the Group 3 event this weekend and give him the opportunity to hit the line strongly.
“I think that he has drawn the outside and he is probably going to be dictated to by a few others as to where he sits in the run,” Snowden said.
“He is more of a staying type and he is probably going to be in the back half of the field, but if he gets any chance and gets a nice cart into the race I am sure that he can finish off.”
Diamond Valores is currently available at 2015 Eskimo Prince Stakes odds of $7.50, while Coolmore Stud Stakes runner-up Delectation ($4) is favourite from Up And Coming Stakes winner Scissor Kick ($4.40), Gerald Ryan-trained Inz’N’Out ($4.60) and the consistent Harrier Jet ($5).
