Aylesbury trainer Richard Didham has his eyes on a Group One prize with his promising filly Diablo Blanco this spring.
The two-year-old daughter of Super Seth had four starts earlier this season, culminating in a fourth placing in the Group 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Trentham in December.
She subsequently went for a lengthy spell before being brought back to prepare for what could be a lucrative spring campaign, with Didham eyeing the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November.
“She was awesome earlier this season, she even trekked all the way to Wellington and courageously ran fourth in a Group Two up there,” Didham said.
“She had a long campaign, so she has had a decent spell and hopefully she is in for another long campaign because there are a lot of good three-year-old races coming up.
“It (target) has to be the 1000 Guineas, especially on her form so far. I would like to tick off the Canterbury Belle (Listed, 1200m) in September, I think it will be an ideal three-year-old fillies race with a bit of black-type.”
Didham has been pleased with how Diablo Blanco has returned, and he is looking forward to her kicking off her campaign at Oamaru on Sunday.
“She has been in work a long time. She is not completely screwed down yet, but she is not far away either,” Didham said.
“She had a jumpout last week on the course proper at Riccarton and she seems ready to go. Her ability and race experience will take her a long way.”
Diablo Blanco races in the colours of co-breeder and part-owner Tony Rider, and Didham said his association with the Milan Park principal began through their link with Hawke’s Bay trainer Guy Lowry.
“I am a really good friend of Guy Lowry’s, who Tony Rider has horses with,” Didham said. “Guy Lowry’s horses stayed at our barn during the Cup meeting, and that is how I met Tony.”
Rider has entrusted a couple of horses to Didham’s care, including Diablo Blanco and her yearling full-sister.
“I have just broken in the yearling full-sister, and I have got a three-year-old filly by Wrote, Divine Story, in work for Tony as well.”
While Didham holds high hopes for Diablo Blanco this spring, he is also excited about the prospects of Chairman, who brought up a special milestone for the Canterbury horseman last week.
“I am very impressed with Chairman,” Didham said. “He has only had four starts for me, for two wins and two thirds. He looks like a promising horse.
“He won last Friday, which ticked off my 100th winner as a horse trainer, it was good to bring up that achievement. I will definitely get that photo on the wall.”
Of his 100 wins, Didham singled out a victory in partnership with his father, Les, as the biggest highlight of his training career to date.
“One of the nicest ones was winning the Riverton Cup (Listed, 2147m) with Waitui Music (in 2011) when I was in partnership with Dad,” he said.
Didham is hoping to quickly add to his win tally this weekend and enhance his stakes haul within the coming months.
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