One of the highlights on Friday’s massive Pink Diamond finals night was the runaway victory of the ‘Team Dailly’ trained Zara’s Ivan in the Listed $42,840 Rookie Sprinter final (450m).
Last year, the $25,000 to-the-winner Rookie Sprinter was the race that launched eventual Melbourne Cup hero Koblenz on the road to stardom, with this year’s winner Zara’s Ivan already no stranger to elite company, being a dual Group 1 finalist.
Having run fourth in both the G1 Golden Easter Egg and National Derby at Wentworth Park in Sydney, Zara’s Ivan, a well-related son of Barcia Bale and Zara’s Entity, bred by Maureen Barry, started $2.50 favourite in the Rookie Sprinter.
It was a one-act affair as he romped to a 7.75L victory over Jungle Panther, a half-brother to last year’s winner Koblenz, in a Best Of Night 24.94sec, eclipsing champion Ferdinand Boy’s 25.10sec performance in the Champion Sprinter event.
“In Sydney he ran into a bitch called She’s A Pearl, I don’t know if you know her!” quipped handler Brad Keel.
“It was a huge drop in class and once he jumped to the front that was it. He’s a very, very fast animal when he lets rip and from Group 1 class down to this makes a big difference.”
The opening event was the Maiden Short Course (390m), with King Cunnington, trained by Peter Presutto and bred by the See The Dream Syndicate, remaining undefeated after three starts, all from Box 2.
After winning the inaugural Challenger Sprinter final in 2021 with Collinda Patty, champion mentor Jason Thompson and owner/breeder Stephanie Tyler once again combined for Pink Diamond glory with Collinda Chips, one of Thompson’s three finalists, claiming the Maiden Sprinter final (450m).
There was a thrilling conclusion to the Princess final (450m) with Patriot Earhart ‘flying’ home to edge out Simba’s Girl, scoring by a head, much to the delight of owner/trainer/ breeder Brad Keel.
“I whelped her and did everything, so it’s pretty special actually and when she was broken in, I got told to put her in GAP!” said Keel.
“It was a pretty gutsy win I reckon, to win from where she was and get in plenty of trouble. She just kept coming and tried her heart out. That’s all she does is try.”
There was another close finish in the Rookie Distance final, won by Aston Pablo, trained by Jack Campbell for prolific owner/breeder Ray Borda.
The biggest upset of the night came in the Rookie Short Course final (390m) with $25.50 roughie Lektra Gal, trained by owner/breeder Philip Lenehan, downing odds-on favourite Plaintiff.
The Veterans final (390m) was won in dominant fashion by the prolific speedster Benchester, trained by Mark Morrissey and bred by the Dozus Two Syndicate, which chalked up his 37th career victory at start 97.
The bumper meeting concluded with the two Challenger events; with Loneliness, prepared by Karen Pitt and bred by Amanda Tullio, prevailing in a tight three-way finish to the Sprinter final, while Tracey Deglaitis’ favourite Snowy’s Sister, bred by Renee Kenyon, won the Short Course decider.
Check out every Pink Diamond winner along with their trainer and breeder below.
Race 1 – $42,840 MAIDEN SHORT COURSE FINAL (390m)
Prize money: $25,000 (1st); $7,000 (2nd); $3,500 (3rd)
Breeder bonus: $3,750 (1st); $1,050 (2nd); $525 (3rd)
KING CUNNINGTON (Peter Presutto / See The Dream Syn)
JELLY BEAN JOJO (Daryl Brennan / Colin Brennan)
JUNGCELYON (Adrian Nuttall / Louie Cardillo)
22.15sec
https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/
Race 2 – $42,840 MAIDEN SPRINTER FINAL (450m)
Prize money: $25,000 (1st); $7,000 (2nd); $3,500 (3rd)
Breeder bonus: $3,750 (1st); $1,050 (2nd); $525 (3rd)
COLLINDA CHIPS (Jason Thompson / Stephanie Tyler) HOT SCOTCH (Paul Brown / Maureen Brown) LAWLESS (Lee Moore / Belinda Harley) 25.23sec https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/2
Race 3 – $42,840 PRINCESS FINAL (450m)
Prize money: $25,000 (1st); $7,000 (2nd); $3,500 (3rd)
Breeder bonus: $3,750 (1st); $1,050 (2nd); $525 (3rd)
PATRIOT EARHART (Brad Keel / Brad Keel) SIMBA’S GIRL (Graeme Jose/ Tristan Dales) VOLTAGE SPIKE (Ebony Deglaitis / Troy Deglaitis) 25.37sec https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/3
Race 4 – $42,840 ROOKIE DISTANCE FINAL (660m)
Prize money: $25,000 (1st); $7,000 (2nd); $3,500 (3rd)
Breeder bonus: $3,750 (1st); $1,050 (2nd); $525 (3rd)
ASTON PABLO (Jack Campbell / Ray Borda) SALLY INTENTION (Todd O’Neill / O’Neill Racing Syn) SODA CANDY (Colin Dalton / High Energy Syn) 38.23sec https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/4
Race 5 – $126,500 CHAMPION SHORT COURSE FINAL (390m)
Prize money: $75,000 (1st); $20,000 (2nd); $10,000 (3rd)
Breeder bonus: $11,250 (1st); $3,000 (2nd); $1,500 (3rd)
SILVER BRUTE (Gary Peach / Gary Peach) LUCA’S JEBRYNAH (Bryan Sykes / Damien Johnston) KEPAL (John Barbara / John Martin) 21.71sec https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/5
Race 6 – $126,500 CHAMPION DISTANCE FINAL (660m)
Prize money: $75,000 (1st); $20,000 (2nd); $10,000 (3rd)
Breeder bonus: $11,250 (1st); $3,000 (2nd); $1,500 (3rd)
ASTON VELVET (Michelle Mallia / Ray Borda) GREYSYND SHOCK (Michael Chilcott / Warren Owen) COLLINDA PATTY (Jason Thompson / Stephanie Tyler) 37.99sec https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/6
Race 7 – $42,840 ROOKIE SPRINTER FINAL (450m)
Prize money: $25,000 (1st); $7,000 (2nd); $3,500 (3rd)
Breeder bonus: $3,750 (1st); $1,050 (2nd); $525 (3rd)
ZARA’S IVAN (Andrea Dailly / Maureen Barry) JUNGLE PANTHER (Jeff Geall / Rose Geall) ASTON LIRA (Vicki Wisener / Ray Borda) 24.94sec https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/7
Race 8 – $126,500 CHAMPION SPRINTER FINAL (450m)
Prize money: $75,000 (1st); $20,000 (2nd); $10,000 (3rd)
Breeder bonus: $11,250 (1st); $3,000 (2nd); $1,500 (3rd)
FERDINAND BOY (David Geall / Rose Geall) REVOLUTION (Harry Manolitsis / Harry Manolitsis) PANAMA CANAL (Jess Hopkins / Jane Garland) 25.10sec https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/8
Race 9 – $42,840 ROOKIE SHORT COURSE FINAL (390m)
Prize money: $25,000 (1st); $7,000 (2nd); $3,500 (3rd)
Breeder bonus: $3,750 (1st); $1050 (2nd); $525 (3rd)
LEKTRA GAL (Philip Lenehan / Philip Lenehan) PLAINTIFF (Jason Thompson / Amanda Tullio) FLYING PIE (Brad Sands / Renee New) 22.00sec https://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/9
Race 10 – $42,840 VETERANS FINAL (390m)
Prize money: $25,000 (1st); $7,000 (2nd); $3,500 (3rd)
Breeder bonus: $3,750 (1st); $525 (2nd); $265 (3rd)
BENCHESTER (Mark Morrissey / Dozus Two Syn) BLUE TICK FERN (Julie Chilcott / Sprod/Whittington) WELL GROUNDED (Angela Langton / Champagne Ptn Syn) 22.03sechttps://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/10
Race 11 – $42,840 CHALLENGER SPRINTER FINAL (450m)
Prize money: $25,000 (1st); $7,000 (2nd); $3,500 (3rd)
Breeder bonus: $3,750 (1st); $1050 (2nd); $525 (3rd)
LONELINESS (Karen Pitt / Amanda Tullio) MY MATE LUCAS (Brett Mackie/ Corey Mackie) RARE SAPPHIRE (Reg Marriner / Phillip Hall) 25.56sechttps://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/11
Race 12 – $42,840 CHALLENGER SHORT COURSE FINAL (390m)
Prize money: $25,000 (1st); $7,000 (2nd); $3,500 (3rd)
Breeder bonus: $3,750 (1st); $525 (2nd); $265 (3rd)
SNOWY’S SISTER (Tracey Deglaitis / Renee Kenyon) AWE SHANKS (Ronald Winter / Tristan Dales) BLACK PHOENIX (Jason Wickham / Ashley Welsh) 22.22sechttps://watchdog.grv.org.au/meeting/662705767/race/12
