Samara Dancer will go into the 2016 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes as a leading contender after she recorded a most impressive victory in the Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude at Caulfield this afternoon.
Samara Dancer scores an impressive win in the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude for the fillies at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
There was an avalanche of money for Samara Dancer in the lead-up to the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude and she showed an explosive turn-of-foot to quickly put away her rivals when she was asked for an extra effort by jockey Dom Tourneur.
Tourneur could not have been more impressed with the performance of Samara Dancer and he was clearly delighted to be able to partner such a classy filly as she heads towards the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes.
“She is a very classy animal,” Tourneur said.
“I liked the way she really flew past them quick when I pushed the button.
“She powered herself down late, but she was still too good.
“She travelled nice, she is a tractable filly and you can do what you want with her.
“I am happy to oblige.”
Stokes has had a massive opinion of Samara Dancer since she first entered his stable, but he told the media after the race that he was happy to see the Hinchinbrook filly deliver on her potential in such emphatic fashion.
The leading Adelaide trainer believes that Samara Dancer will relish the step-up to 1200 metres for the Group 1 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes at the same venue in a fortnight and he believes she will develop into a leading Thousand Guineas contender.
“She is pretty good,” Stokes said.
“She has shown us plenty at home, but she had to measure up to this lot and she has definitely done that.
“She will only get better.
“She has always been a really good two-year-old and her temperament is unreal.
“I am just wrapped with the way she has been performing.
“She has done everything right at home, she galloped with a horse called Hucklebuck on Tuesday and she went with him, so I thought that was good enough.
“The 1200 will suit.
“You will see her here as a three-year-old in the Thousand Guineas.”
Concealer missed the start, but was still able to make up plenty of ground late to finish an eye-catching second, while Gimcrack Stakes winner Calliope never looked like a winning chance, but she was still far from disgraced.
Stokes has never previously had a runner in the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes and he is chasing his first Group 1 victory since Hucklebuck took out the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m) in 2014.
