Andrew Adkins has capped his latest return to the saddle with a slashing win in the Civic Stakes, while champion hoop James McDonald is under a fitness cloud.
A jockey and horse who have both endured injury woes have combined to win the rescheduled Civic Stakes at Warwick Farm.
Andrew Adkins, Sydney’s champion apprentice in 2016-17, has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, only recently returning from his latest setback, while Diamond Diesel has had to overcome a fractured shoulder that cut short his career in Hong Kong.
The pair was a lethal combination on Wednesday, Adkins riding a patient race before unleashing Diamond Diesel ($7.50), the gelding producing a dashing turn of foot to sweep down the outside and defeat Estadio Mestalla ($3.80 betting fav) by 1-3/4 lengths with Essone ($21) third.
What a campaign for Diamond Diesel! 💎
After taking a narrow gap under Andrew Adkins the @adugganracing-trained 7YO puts a space on his rivals in the Listed Civic Stakes 💥 pic.twitter.com/s8FV4HXPWs
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 26, 2024
The Listed Civic Stakes (1400m) was added to the midweek card after the Randwick program was washed out on Saturday and Adkins said it was worth the wait.
“I thought he was a great chance on Saturday, I also thought he was a great chance today,” Adkins said.
“Down in the weights, it was a step up in class for him but when you really look into it, it wasn’t too much of a step up.
“I got the perfect run.
“It was just a bit of a waiting game in the straight for a couple of them to drop off and find that bit of fresh air and when they did, he exploded.
“I’ve only been back a week yesterday, so it’s good to get a win, especially a stakes win too, and it couldn’t be for a better fellow.”
Diamond Diesel is prepared by Gosford-based horseman Adam Duggan, who picked up the gelding on the recommendation of now Hong Kong-based trainer Mark Newnham.
He didn’t have his first run for Duggan until the end of his five-year-old season having taken time to recover from his shoulder issue, but on Wednesday became the trainer’s first Listed winner.
Duggan now plans to aim Diamond Diesel at next month’s South Grafton Cup in a bid to qualify for the Big Dance on Melbourne Cup day.
“The fact he’d been left so long and really matured, he just needed to learn a bit of race craft,” Duggan said.
“He always had the ability there, but as he gets more experienced he just keeps raising the bar.”
Meanwhile, James Mcdonald is under a fitness cloud ahead of Saturday’s Tatt’s Tiara meeting at Eagle Farm after being stood down from riding halfway through the Warwick Farm program.
McDonald took part in the first four races but was in obvious discomfort and subsequently went to hospital for further examination following advice from the on-course doctor.
“Following race four, James was complaining of a sharp pain in his right side,” presiding chief steward Tom Moxon said.
“After seeking advice from the doctor, he was stood down from his remaining engagements to enable him to seek medical attention.”
McDonald is due to chase his 99th career Group 1 aboard C’Est Magique for Chris Waller in Saturday’s Tatt’s Tiara (1400m), the final major of the season.
