Trainer Clinton McDonald believes promising sprinter Diamond Effort has Group 1 potential if she keeps building on a brilliant victory in the Hareeba Stakes LR at Mornington.
Saturday’s win was a black-type first for the Mossman mare who didn’t get any favours sitting three-wide without cover. She ran down Runson in a performance that could pave the way for a tilt at the Robert Sangster Stakes Gr.1 at Morphettville on May 2.
“She’s won 6 times in 12 starts and I wish all my horses had a 50% strike-rate,” McDonald said. “She ran a slashing second to Pippie first-up last prep but then had a few little issues so we tipped her out.”
Diamond Effort has come back a more mature racehorse winning all three starts this campaign. “She’s a happy mare and we keep her races spaced apart,” he added. “We’ve also got the Wangoom in mind but, obviously, we’re taking it day by day with Coronavirus.”
McDonald won the Wangoom Hcp LR in 2012 and 2013 with her older brother Second Effort and this year’s edition is scheduled for May 6 at Warrnambool.
Diamond Effort is the 41st Stakes winner by Vinery sire Mossman who was pensioned in 2018. Her dam Relativity (Geiger Counter) was bred by South Australian-based Little Hills Pastoral owners Geoff and Christine Tucker. Managing part-owner Dominic Romanelli bought Diamond Effort for $140,000 at the 2017 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale and she has already banked $323,000.
Jockey Ben Melham said she was spot on for the Hareeba after a first look at Mornington earlier in the week. “I worked her here on Tuesday morning and told Clinton it was a winning gallop. She was pretty fresh and fought me a bit in running but was just too good.”
Mossman (Success Express) was trained by Clarrie Connors for owner-breeder Peter Moran. He was a Group 1 winner of the Castlemaine Stakes at Eagle Farm before resuming at three to claim The Debonaire LR at Flemington and AAMI Vase Gr.2 at Moonee Valley.
Mossman covered 40 mares in his first book at Moran’s Queensland-based Noble Park Stud before transferring to Vinery in 2004. The only foal from his final crop is a yearling filly from NZ-bred mare Chuchoter (Snitzel).
