Hawkesbury Guineas winner Najoom has been included in the 2015 Dark Jewel Classic nominations and is a chance of backing-up in the Group 3 event at Scone on Saturday.
Najoom was far too good for her rivals in the 2015 Hawkesbury Guineas at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Photo by: Steve Hart
Najoom broke through for her maiden race win when she returned to racing in the XXXX Gold Rush Maiden Plate (1100m) at Hawkesbury on March 10 and she made it three wins on the trot when she took out the Joshua Caurso Memorial Handicap (1200m) at Newcastle on March 28 and the Cellarbrations Handicap (1300m) at Warwick Farm on April 15.
The Northern Meteor filly was beaten by Bonete in the Cal Rei Handicap (1200m) at Canterbury on April 23, but she produced a dominant front-running victory to take out the rescheduled Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Trainer Gai Waterhouse’s Racing Manager Adrian Bott revealed on Saturday that there was every chance Najoom would back-up in the Dark Jewel Classic this weekend and the filly was one of only three three-year-olds included in the nominations.
“Gai will assess how she is during the week but there is the option to back up at Scone,” Bott said.
“She is a much-improved filly and the decision to run in the Guineas has paid off.”
Another talented filly that has been included in the Dark Jewel Classic nominations is Anthony Cummings-trained Like Xena.
Like Xena failed to fire when she returned to racing in the Schweppes Maiden Plate (1200m) at Canterbury on February 20, but she returned to a semblance of her best form with a second place finish at Rosehill Gardens on April 1 before she recorded back-to-back wins at Hawkesbury on April 16 and Canterbury on April 29.
The top weight in the Dark Jewel Classic is likely to be carried by Kiwi mare Diademe, who has joined the stable of Bjorn Baker after previously being prepared by his father Murray Baker.
Diademe took out the Group 1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1600m) at Te Aroha on April 4 before she returned to Australian racing with a credible eighth place finish behind Amanpour in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 11.
Chris Waller could have a strong hand in the Dark Jewel Classic after he included All Cerise, Calming Influence, Champagne Cath and Mamwaazel in the nominations for the $200,000 event, while the likes of I’m In The Money, Peace Force, Peron, Refer, Scorpio Queen and Tahni Dancer could also contest the Group 3 race.
