A stunning debut from the odds-on favourite at Bendigo on Sunday has paved the way for Eloping to target the 2014 Blue Diamond Stakes this coming Melbourne Festival of Racing.
The $1 million Group 1 Sportingbet Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield Racecourse on Saturday February 22 is firmly on the agenda for the Peter Morgan & Craig Widdison-trained Choisir filly Eloping after she killed her first career win on the weekend.
Based on a red hot six length trial win at Tatura earlier this month, Eloping jumped the $1.75 favourite in the first at Bendigo on Sunday – the $17,500 BJC Members Celebration SV 2YO Maiden Plate (900m).
She handled the run with ease too putting and easy two lengths on her challenger on the straight, fellow debutant Tudor ($15) to win in an all-the-way effort.
The third placed Jarklin ($21) meanwhile was over five lengths off the winner who won in 51.59 seconds.
The sizzling time was just outside of the track record of 51.22 seconds held by Innovation Girl.
While there’s a long way to go from a 900m maiden at Bendigo to the Blue Diamond Stakes, co-trainer Peter Morgan is confident Eloping can go all the way with the focus being on that and not the Magic Millions.
While Eloping is eligible for a shot at the lucrative $2 million Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) in Queensland next month, Morgan said they would rather have her ready for a shot at half the prize money in February instead of rushing her prep.
“She’s eligible for the Magic Millions (2YO Classic) but it will probably come a little too quickly for her so we’ll give her a little break and come back for the Blue Diamond,” Morgan told Racing Victoria.
“She’s always shown us good ability at home and we’ve been pretty happy with her.
“We’ve got a got a few nice horses at home and she might not be the pick of them, I think we might be in for a good year with our young horses.”
She’ll head toward the Group 1 via the traditional path likely contesting either the fillies edition of the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) at Caulfield on January 25 or the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) back at the track the following fortnight next-up.
Stay tuned to Races.com.au over the coming months for all the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival updates including those for the Blue Diamond.
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