Co-trainer David Eustace admits that Muntaseera needs to get a clean getaway from the barriers if she is to figure in the finish of the 2020 Group 1 $1.5m Ned Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Muntaseera, above, needs to get a clean getaway to figure in the finish of the 2020 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Steve Hart.
Muntaseera was a bit tardy out of the gates last start before racing up into a midfield position and then went on to produce a strong finish to claim second prize behind Letsbeglam in the Group 2 $200,000 Neds Blue Diamond Prelude (F) (1100m) at Caulfield a fortnight ago.
“She needs to jump and travel kindly,” Eustace told the Herald Sun.
“If she doesn’t jump, you’ve then got to push her to get her into the race. If she travels smoothly, she’ll be right in it.”
Muntaseera has drawn awkwardly at barrier thirteen with Damien Oliver in the saddle and the I Am Invincible filly is one of six runners that the co-trainers Eustace and Ciaron Maher will saddle up in the Blue Diamond Stakes.
The successful training partnership will also saddle up Ideas Man (Damian Lane, barrier 15), Rathlin (Ben Melham, 11), Tanker (John Allen, 12), Away Game (Jye McNeil, 10), and A Beautiful Night (Linda Meech, 2).
Eustace and Maher are split on the their top picks with Eustace going with Away Game and Maher selecting Muntaseera.
“I will go with Away Game,” Eustace told Moody On The Mic.
“Very professional and worked really well here this morning (Tuesday).”
“Muntaseera will be a pretty good chance,” Maher said.
Muntaseera is the winner of one of her three race starts and cruised to victory in a 1100m two year old Handicap at Rosehill on November 30 last year.
Away Game has won three of her four starts and while campaigning in Queensland during the Summer was able to win the Listed $125,000 Boomer Bloodstock Calaway Gal Stakes (1110m) at Doomben and win the $2m The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast.
The Snitzel filly then returned to Sydney to win the Group 3 $160,000 Widden Stakes (1100m) at Randwick on February 1.
The Anthony Freedman trained Hanseatic heads the Blue Diamond Stakes betting at $2.60 with Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of Team Snowden’s Rulership at $6 while Muntaseera is the best of the Eustace – Maher runners at $9.50.
