Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Chilean Miss headed for the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes

Trainer Clinton McDonald is confident a race eve inspection by a Racing Victoria Limited (RVL) veterinary panel will pass Chilean Miss fit to run in Saturday's Group One Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield.
McDonald said X-rays taken last Wednesday revealed no abnormalities and they would be presented to the panel on Friday to support the case for the Hussonet filly running in Victoria's premier two-year-old race.
"I'm more than happy with everything about her," McDonald said.
"I wouldn't be running her otherwise."
Chilean Miss's connections paid the $5,500 final acceptance for the Blue Diamond which has attracted 14 runners, well short of the 16 plus four emergencies capacity.
A six-length Mornington winner at her only start, Chilean Miss is at $14 with TAB Sportsbet for the Diamond after she drew barrier two and Sydney jockey Larry Cassidy was booked to ride her.
She hasn't raced since her debut in January after she was a controversial late scratching from the Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude (1100m) 10 days ago when three RVL vets declared she was sore in the near-foreleg.
Two of those vets, Paul O'Callaghan and Geoff Hazard, pronounced her lame in her other foreleg before she beat Blue Diamond rival Marveen in the fastest 1000-metre jumpout at Caulfield last Tuesday.
McDonald maintains that Chilean Miss has nothing more than a "scratchy" action and is perfectly sound which was evidenced by vets who couldn't detect any lameness after last week's trial.
O'Callaghan said that he and at least one other RVL vet would inspect Chilean Miss on Friday.
"It will be an intensive sort of examination of her and with consultation with McDonald's own veterinarian (Dr Rob McGuinness)," O'Callaghan said.
O'Callaghan said a secondary veterinary examination may be required on Saturday depending on the outcome of Friday's inspection.
McDonald said McGuinness had already passed Chilean Miss to run in the Blue Diamond.
"She is a funny-gaited horse," McDonald said. "She's got an action where she half bobs her head at a walk and trot and swaps legs.
"Once she gets out there and warmed up her action comes good.
"They can look at her as much as they like but she is not going to change. She has been like that from day one and she is like that today."
McDonald said that lack of race experience made it difficult to assess Chilean Miss's chances going into the Blue Diamond.
"It is mission impossible because you can't get a guide where you are at," McDonald said.
"She is coming off a soft Mornington win so there are a lot of unknowns.
"However it is a $1 million dollar race, we think she is fit and well and think she has the ability to be there.
"We don't want to be making up the numbers. We want to be in it and be competitive."
Lee Freedman-trained stablemates Wilander and Exceedingly Good maintained their place at the top of the Blue Diamond betting charts after drawing gates five and one respectively.
Sportsbet expects them to finish in the same order as in the colts and geldings Blue Diamond Prelude with Wilander at $5.50 ahead of Exceedingly Good ($6).
Freedman's other runner Okaylah ($21) drew barrier four.
Mark Kavanagh-trained Fillies Prelude winner Believe'n'succeed is $7.50 but has drawn the outside of the field.
"There are 13 better barriers but with a bit of luck she will be out of any trouble," Kavanagh said.
The Big G
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