Preview to say it all about Cambiaso

Danny O'Brien expects his colt Cambiaso to make a statement when he runs in the colts' and geldings' Blue Diamond Preview at Caulfield on Thursday.

Mindful that the $1 million Blue Diamond is still a month away, O'Brien heads to the 1000m Diamond Preview quietly confident.

"He's going into the Diamond Preview like most of them with good improvement in him, but if he can't win that with the improvement towards the Diamond, then he won't be able to win the Diamond," O'Brien said.

"If he's going to win the Diamond, then he needs to be able to win the Preview."

O'Brien said Cambiaso, a winner of the 1000m Maribyrnong Trial at Flemington in early October, had benefited from a jumpout at Flemington this month.

He said Cambiaso had worked with Shamexpress, a winner at Flemington over 1200m on Saturday, at his Barwon Heads property.

They had three or four gallops down there," O'Brien said.

"You can't do any more than he's done. He's had one start for a win and now we'll find out a lot more about him in the Preview."

The fillies' Preview on Thursday will determine whether impressive first-start winner Sweet Little Lies remains in contention for the 1200m Group 1 Diamond on February 25.

Co-trainer Simon Zahra said Sweet Little Lies, not nominated for the Diamond, had progressed well from her 4 3/4-length win at Caulfield on January 7.

Zahra said Sweet Little Lies had worked well at Flemington on Friday, looked better in the coat and had held her condition.

"We'll evaluate what we do next after the Preview. In the back of our mind is that she's going to be a nice three-year-old," Zahra said.

Connections of Sweet Little Lies can pay a $55,000 late-entry fee for the Diamond.

Paul Snowden said a decision on whether Applegate contested the fillies' Preview or was saved for the 1100m Prelude on February 11 would be made after she worked tomorrow at Flemington.

While the stable has no runners in the colts' and geldings' Preview, Snowden said he had several prospective Diamond horses that would jump out at Flemington on Friday.

But Snowden said it was highly unlikely that Meidung, the $6.50 equal second Diamond favourite with TAB Sportsbet, would come to Melbourne. Snowden said Meidung, an all-the-way winner at Rosehill in October, was being set for the Golden Slipper.

Members Joy, who won over 900m on debut at Sandown in November, will contest the fillies' Preview.

Trainer Robert Smerdon said Members Joy had spent several weeks at Peter Morgan's water walker before returning to his stables.

Story by Adrian Dunn, to view full Herald Sun story click here

Photo by Bruno Cannatelli, to view Bruno's website click here