The Mick Price trained Flying Artie throw himself right into calculations for the Blue Diamond Stakes with a come from behind win in the Group 3 $200,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (1100m) at Caulfield today.
Flying Artie scored a determined win in the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude for the colts and geldings at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Flying Artie ($2.70) was slightly slow to leave the barriers, forcing Damien Oliver to settle the Artie Schiller colt three wide midfield, but when he pulled him to the outside in the straight powered home to recorded a head win over on pace runner Star Turn ($7).
Price also filled the third placing with $26 chance China Dream who was doing his best work at the finish for Craig Newitt.
Oliver will now have to choose between Flying Artie and stablemate Extreme Choice as his ride in the Group 1 $1.5m Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in a fortnight.
Oliver was very impressed with Flying Artie’s winning effort, especially in the way he found the line.
“I like the way her really knuckled down at the finish,” Oliver said.
“Both are great rides and great winning chances in the Blue Diamond.”
“I will let the dust settle and speak to Mick over the weekend.”
Price admitted that he found it hard to split Flying Artie and Extreme Choice and knows Oliver has a hard decision to make.
Craig Newitt is waiting in the wings and will ride which ever colt Oliver discards.
Price said that Flying Artie will take a lot of benefit from today’s run and the 1200m of the Blue Diamond Stakes will suit him better.
“Big strong horse, the Blue Diamond 1200m will be good,”
“He will benefit from today’s run. He is a red hot chance in the Blue Diamond.”
Even though he had to jump from the outside barrier in the thirteen horse field, Flying Artie was always the one the punters wanted and firmed in on the day from $3.10 to run the $2.70 favourite.
Flying Artie ran a fractionally faster time, 1.3.04s, than the fillies with Samara Dancer clocking 1.3.11s in winning the Group 2 $200,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude (F) (1100m).
C&G Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude Results
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | FLYING ARTIE | Mick Price | Damien Oliver | – | 14 | 55.5kg | $2.70F |
| 2 | 3 | STAR TURN | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Dwayne Dunn | 0.2L | 8 | 55.5kg | $7 |
| 3 | 9 | CHINA DREAM | Mick Price | Craig Newitt | 2.45L | 12 | 55.5kg | $26 |
| 4 | 16 | REVOLVING DOOR | Clinton McDonald | Mark Zahra | 3.95L | 9 | 55.5kg | $20 |
| 5 | 4 | BULLION WOLF | Lloyd Kennewell | Joe Bowditch | 4.15L | 3 | 55.5kg | $26 |
| 6 | 1 | POWER TRIP | John McArdle | Jamie Mott | 4.35L | 4 | 55.5kg | $12 |
| 7 | 14 | LIONHEARTED | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | Nicholas Hall | 4.45L | 2 | 55.5kg | $15 |
| 8 | 2 | COHESION | John O’Shea | Ben Melham | 5.2L | 11 | 55.5kg | $6 |
| 9 | 8 | EL VENETIAN | Peter G Moody | Daniel Stackhouse | 6.45L | 13 | 55.5kg | $16 |
| 10 | 6 | CAPANNELLO | Robbie Griffiths | Jye McNeil (a) | 6.65L | 5 | 55.5kg | $21 |
| 11 | 11 | LOS CABOS | Mick Price | Michael Dee (a) | 6.85L | 1 | 55.5kg | $101 |
| 12 | 15 | OCEAN GROVE | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | Damian Lane | 6.95L | 7 | 55.5kg | $15 |
| 13 | 13 | BLACK ENERGY | Peter J Clarke | Darren Gauci | 26.95L | 10 | 55.5kg | $101 |
| SB | 12 | AMBITIOUS EX | Wez Hunter | Glen Boss | – | 6 | 55.5kg | $51 |
