The Blue Diamond series officially commences this Thursday when the 1000-metre Previews will be run at Sandown.
The $200,000 Group 3 fillies' division has drawn a field of 15, seven of which have been to the races, including Maribyrnong Trial runner-up Aditi and Flemington winner Exploring, plus eight who have yet to be seen on raceday.
Below is a look at the debutants in what is the fourth event on the card, where they came from and how they've performed at the jumpouts or trials.
ALL AT ONCE (P&P Snowden): Yulong homebred who is by that organisation's foundation sire Grunt out of the Poet's Voice mare Hersigh, who is the dam of three-time G3 winner and G1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) placegetter My Whisper (Frankel). Has had two jumpouts over summer, the latest a fifth placing – but beaten only half-a-length – in the January 9 Werribee jumpout won by Fire Follower.
DE SONIC BOOM (A&S Freedman): A $300,000 Inglis Premier yearling who is by top Queensland stallion Spirit Of Boom out of the Fastnet Rock mare Demasheen, who has had four to race for four multiple winners, including Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m) winner Laverrod. Finished midfield in first two jumpouts but then looked good coming from last to win a Sandown jumpout on January 12.
ELDERBERRY (A&S Freedman): Stablemate of De Sonic Boom, who won the Balnarring and Mornington jumpouts in which De Sonic Boom finished midfield. By American stallion Bolt D'oro, who stood just one season in Australia in 2019, and the first foal from Reward For Effort mare Essence Of Terror, who counted a 1000m Moonee Valley win among her five career victories. Considered the best winning chance of the first-starters by TAB, occupying the $6 second line behind $3.10 favourite Aditi.
GINGER 'N' PINK (Peter Moody): Daughter of Zoustar who will become the first to race from the Husson mare Dancers, a two-time winner who is out of a three-quarter-sister to Snitzel. The $250,000 Inglis Easter buy has had a solid grounding for the debut, including four Pakenham jumpouts, but was well-held by stablemate Sensical in the most recent of them, on January 17.
RIGHT TO PARTY (A&S Freedman): Jonathan Munz Zoustar homebred who is the ninth named foal from unraced Dehere mare De Groove (Dehere), who has had six winners from her seven runners to race, the best of whom has been Big Party (Exceed And Excel), a G3 winner and G1 placegetter in Hong Kong. Lot to like about the way she savaged the line under light riding in a 900m Mornington jumpout win on January 4.
SENSICAL (Peter Moody): Another by Zoustar who is from the Magic Millions winner Karuta Queen, which might explain why Peter Moody had to go to $950,000 at last year's Gold Coast sale. But as speedy as Karuta Queen was on the track, she hasn't really passed that on to her progeny with Listed Bill Carter Stakes (1200m) winner Eawase the best of her runners to date. Sensical has acquitted herself well in all four jumpouts, though, including an all-the-way win at Pakenham on January 17.
WRITTEN BLIGH (Grahame Begg): From the first crop of 2018 Blue Diamond winner Written By who was passed in after failing to reach her $60,000 reserve at last year's Inglis Premier Sale. Out of the Redoute's Choice mare Lady Bligh, who has had three to race for three winners, including five-time winner Mocambo (Deep Field). Has looked good in two Cranbourne jumpouts when not knocked around but only beaten narrow margins.
ZOUSUKO (John McArdle): By Zoustar out of the I Am Invincible mare Tetsuko, whose only win came in a maiden on the Kensington track at Randwick, but did run second in a Listed Gimcrack Stakes and third in a G2 Sweet Embrace Stakes. Tetsuko has had four to race for three winners. Impressively won two Mornington trials in spring before narrowly being beaten by 3YO filly Vincere in a 700m jumpout at the same track on January 18.
