The Peter Moody trained Hell Of An Effort will wear blinkers for the first time when he lines up in the Group 1 $1.5m Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Hell Of An Effort, above, will wear the blinkers for the first time in the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Moody is hoping the addition of the head gear will help Hell Of An Effort find his best form again after he finished at the tail of the field when thirteenth to Valliano in the $250,000 Inglis Premier (1200m) at Caulfield on February 6.
The Reward For Effort colt was previously undefeated from two race starts with victories in an 1121m Geelong two year old Maiden on December 6 and in an 1100m Caulfield two year old Plate on December 26.
“His run the other day was too bad to be true but we’ve had him looked over and couldn’t find anything wrong,” Moody said.
Moody tested Hell Of An Effort with the blinkers on in an 800m Caulfield jump out last Tuesday and the colt pinged out of the barriers to lead all of the way to win his heat.
Reward For Effort has drawn the rails in the Blue Diamond Stakes and come back jockey Luke Nolen will be able to take up a handy spot in or near the lead from that good gate.
Moody has tasted success in the Blue Diamond Stakes before, winning the Melbourne Racing Club’s glamour two year old race with Hell Of An Effort’s sire Reward For Effort in 2009.
In early betting for the Blue Diamond Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au, Hell Of Effort has been listed as one of the outsiders of the sixteen horse field at $41.
Fellow Caulfield trainer Mick Price will saddle up the two favourites, Extreme Choice at $2.80 and Flying Artie at $3.70, but both colts fared poorly at the barrier draw.
The undefeated Extreme Choice drew barrier thirteen in the original draw of sixteen plus three emergencies and will probably jump from gate eleven if the three reserves don’t gain a start, while Flying Artie drew even worse at seventeen and could come into fifteen at start time with two of the emergencies drawing inside him.
Early market order for the Blue Diamond Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.80 Extreme Choice, $3.70 Flying Artie, $6.50 Concealer, $9 Samara Dancer, $15 Miss Nymeria, $17 Star Turn, $21 Valliano, $34 Power Trip, Zamzam, Revolving Door, $41 Hell Of An Effort, China Dream, Sweet Sherry, $51 Hey Doc, Artei, Seaburge, $67 Highland Brat, Selenia, $101 Kinetic Design.
