One of Lindsay Park’s Blue Diamond hopefuls will step out in the colts and geldings Preview with co-trainer Tom Dabernig expecting Kafoo to benefit from his first race-day experience.
The Australia Day meeting at Caulfield on Tuesday will feature the Listed Blue Diamond Preview for colts and geldings and also the Group Three Preview for fillies.
Kafoo, a $500,000 yearling, is at $18 on Tuesday with the unraced Paul Messara-trained colt Weatherly favourite at $4 ahead of Maribyrnong Plate winner Power Trip ($4.20) and Godolphin colt Cohesion ($4.40).
“He’s a really nice Snitzel colt,” Dabernig, who trains in partnership with David Hayes, said.
“I’m not sure he’s a first-up two-year-old but we think he could be a Blue Diamond horse.
“I think the race-day experience will really bring him on, and I’m sure he’ll run well.
“(But) I think there’s a lot of improvement in him.”
Dabernig said Kafoo had done well since his barrier trial at Sandown on January 14 when he was given a solid hit-out although his winning time was the slowest of the six heats for the juveniles that morning.
Cohesion was fourth to Magic Millions winner Capitalist in the Breeders Plate in Sydney in October at his only start and won his trial at Sandown leading into the Preview.
“We’re pretty happy with him, so we expect him to run pretty well,” trainer John O’Shea’s Melbourne stable representative, David Charles, said.
Dabernig said two-year-old filly Angasi, second emergency in the fillies Preview, had gone shin sore and was in the spelling paddock.
But he said the stable had several other youngsters heading towards a shot at this year’s $1.5 million Blue Diamond (1200m).
“We’ve got a couple that might run in the Prelude as well,” Dabernig said.
“With two-year-olds a lot can change between now and then, but we’ve got a couple of unraced ones heading towards those races if they get there.
“I’m sure we’ve got horses that are good enough. It’s just whether they are going to be peaking at the right time.”
Hayes has won a record five Blue Diamonds while the training partnership of Hayes and Dabernig went close last year when outsider Reemah was narrowly beaten by Pride Of Dubai.
