General’s Owners Face Diamond Decision
Connections of General Beau are likely to give the colt another run before deciding whether to pay a late entry fee for the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes.
The youngster emerged as a genuine contender for next month’s juvenile feature with a strong performance to win the colts and gelding’s division of the Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) on Tuesday.
Ridden by leading jockey Jamie Kah, who brought up her 50th metropolitan win of the season, General Beau ($3.80) settled behind the speed and scooted through along the inside to score.
He won by a half-length over Extreme Warrior ($6), who fought on well after racing wide, with Gulf Of Suez ($3.40 fav) another length away.
Co-trainer Matthew Ellerton revealed General Beau was not nominated for the Blue Diamond, run at Caulfield on February 20, and would head to the Prelude on Saturday week before connections decided whether to pay the $55,000 late entry.
“He’s not in the Diamond. That’s the conversation we’ll have to have after we hopefully get through a Prelude with him,” Ellerton said.
“He has really matured up fantastic from the spring.
“He had a really good break and he was a bit shin sore after his last run. Touch wood, we’ve had a really faultless prep with him and hopefully he can make his way to a Prelude.”
The Grahame Begg-trained Dosh relegated odds-on favourite Frost Flowers to third when she led throughout to claim the fillies’ edition of the Preview.
The youngster won the Ottawa Stakes at Flemington on debut in the spring but almost threw the race away with her wayward manners.
There was no sign of that at Caulfield where Dosh ($5.50) kicked strongly when challenged to deny Tayla’s Moment ($12) and Frost Flowers ($1.65 fav) with debutante Duchy Of Savoy an eye-catching fourth.
Begg combined with Dosh’s jockey Jordan Childs to win the Blue Diamond Stakes with Written By three years ago and Dosh will get the opportunity to join him on the race’s honour roll.
“She is very exciting,” Begg said.
“To be able to come to the races, (win) two out of two and she gave two kilos away because she paid the penalty for winning a Group Three at her first start, which is not easy to do.”
Begg expected Dosh to take significant improvement from her first-up run and said she would be given a trial or jump out before going straight into the Blue Diamond Stakes without another start.
Dosh is on the third line of TAB Fixed odds markets for the juvenile showpiece at $11 with boom filly Enthaar a $3.50 top pick.