Revolving Door connections stoked despite missing Blue Diamond
Connections of Revolving Door have earned some compensation for missing a start in the Blue Diamond Stakes with a Sandown victory on Wednesday.
Part-owned by members of the Melbourne Racing Club committee including chairman Mike Symons and chief executive Brodie Arnhold, Revolving Door took out The Cove Hotel Handicap for trainer Clinton McDonald.
Revolving Door was made third emergency for Saturday’s Blue Diamond and connections took the punt on the colt not gaining a start and decided to run midweek.
In what proved a good decision, Revolving Door ($4.40) scored by three-quarters of a length from $2.60 favourite Seaburge, also a Blue Diamond emergency, with Achi Baba ($11) another 4-1/4 lengths away third.
While the media jokingly told Symons the MRC committee should have used its powers to get Revolving Door into Melbourne’s premier two-year-old race on Saturday, Symons said connections were resigned to the horse missing out on a start.
“These days with absolute transparency, third emergency wasn’t good enough to get into the race,” Symons said.
He said MRC treasurer Dom Romanelli, who Symons described as a breeding buff, regarded Revolving Door as the pick of the yearlings at last year’s Inglis Premier Sale in Melbourne.
“When Clinton picked it out and Dom liked it as well it was pretty easy to chop it up amongst the committee,” Symons said.
McDonald said Revolving Door would be aimed at the Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on March 12.
He added it wasn’t his usual method to back-up a two-year-old nine days after its first start.
“Normally you like to give your two-year-olds a few extra days,” he said.
“The 1300 (metres) was a little query as we thought the last 50 he might be a bit vulnerable.
“Our main target is the Sires’ Produce so it was either come here off a nine day turnaround and give ourselves two-and-a-half weeks into the Sires’, or we go to Pakenham next week.
“Luckily we pulled the right rein and hopefully get a good result.”
Tom Sadler took advantage of a good draw to have Revolving Door on the speed after he was beaten for pace when fourth to Flying Artie in the Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield on February 13.
Runner-up Seaburge is expected to tackle Revolving Door again in the Sires’ Produce.