Apprentice Lauran Stojakovic is in the box seat to ride Blue Diamond favourite Miracles Of Life after steering the Adelaide filly to another sensational win in the Listed $120,000 Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Preview for Fillies (1000m) at Caulfield on Australia Day.
Apprentice jockey Lauran Stojakovic steers Miracles Of Life to victory in the Blue Diamond Preview. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Trainer Daniel Clarken couldn’t fault the mature aged apprentice’s ride on Miracles Of Life which maintained their winning record of three from three but the Adelaide trainer would have to consult with the filly’s owners before announcing a jockey for the Group 1 $1m Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 23.
“I was very proud of her. I couldn’t ask a person to present herself or ride in any better manner,” Clarken said.
Stojakovic responded to her most important riding engagement to date with a first class display after overcoming initial nerves when she was confirmed as the rider for the filly last Saturday and is now waiting to see if she is considered for the ride when Miracles Of Life comes back to Caulfield in a month.
“I didn’t think I’d get to ride her today,” Stojakovic said after winning her first race at Caulfield.
“At first I was really nervous, but as the week went on I calmed down.
“I’m always trying to believe in myself and to know the owner believed in me has helped me to have faith in myself.”
It seems a formality that the Muzaffar Yaseen’s Teeley Assets Ltd will part with the $55,000 late entry fee to secure Miracles Of Life a spot it the Blue Diamond and Clarken said that the filly will go in the $1m race in four week’s time without another run.
“I think we will go straight to the Diamond, we don’t need to expose her again,” Clarken said.
“She has been around Caulfield she has done the whole thing. I know it is a month to the Diamond, but yesterday was three weeks since her last start.
“I can’t see why she shouldn’t go straight to the Diamond.”
Clarken has reported that the Not A Single Doubt filly has pulled up in superb order after her electrifying win at Caulfield and has settled back into her familiar surroundings in Adelaide.
“She has been out for a good walk this morning. She is as bright as a button,” Clarken reported Sunday morning.
“I could not be happier. She looked really good in herself this morning, there is still plenty of her. She hasn’t tightened up.”
Clarken is happy to bypass the Group 3 $150,000 Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies) (1100m) at Caulfield on February 9 which is a traditional final lead up for the Blue Diamond two weeks later.
Miracles Of Life remains the top fancy for the Blue Diamond, heading the market order at $3.80 ahead of the Peter Snowden trained filly Guelph ($8) who was also impressive in winning over 1000m at Warwick Farm on Saturday.
Robert Smerdon’s unraced filly Politeness shares the next line of betting with Peter Moody’s unlucky colt Thermal Current at $10.
