Hype intrigues O'Brien
The volatile Blue Diamond market could be further shaken on Saturday at Caulfield by the appearance of Sydney filly Hollyweird and Danny O'Brien boom colt Cape Canaveral.
Trainer Danny O'Brien confirmed that Cape Canaveral, well-backed to win the Diamond, would make his debut in the Chairman's Stakes.
O'Brien has booked Dwayne Dunn, the most successful jockey in Diamond history, to ride Cape Canaveral, a son of Starcraft.
"He's a nice horse, but I don't know where all the wraps on him are coming from. He's still got to do a lot of things right to get to the Diamond," O'Brien said.
O'Brien said Cape Canaveral would need to finish first or second to pursue a shot at the Diamond.
Hollyweird, a member of Gerald Ryan's quality two-year-old barn, is not entered for the $1 million Diamond on February 26, but if she performs well in the 1100m Listed Chairman's Stakes on Saturday, starting in the race may become a serious option.
Ryan, who part-owns the Snitzel filly, said connections would consider paying the $55,000 late entry fee if she performed well.
"If she went really well, we might think about paying up for her," Ryan said.
Damien Oliver has been booked for Hollyweird, who has won two of her three starts and is coming off a 2 3/4-length win from the Peter Snowden-trained Glissade at Rosehill on January 15.
As in her first two starts, Hollyweird raced on the speed and then extended in the straight to defeat Glissade effortlessly.
While Snowden has the Diamond favourite in Sepoy, winner of the colts' and geldings' Diamond Preview last week, his filly Graskop will miss the Diamond.
Snowden's son Paul said Graskop, an eye-catching third in the fillies' Preview, was an "immature filly not ready for the Diamond" and would furnish into a quality three-year-old.
Replacing Graskop is Glissade, who will contest a 1100m Diamond Prelude at Caulfield on February 12.
Snowden Jr reported that Sepoy had taken no harm from his Preview win and would run in the colts' and geldings' Prelude.
Story by Adrian Dunn, to view full Herald-Sun story click here
Photo by Bruno Cannatelli, to view Bruno's website click here