Capital Diamond set for Taranaki feature Wed, 15 Aug 2012

Connections of Capital Diamond have decided to bypass the Triple Crown series at Hastings, but more black-type remains a spring priority for the royally-bred mare.

“It’s quite hard to get them ready at this time of the year and she is still only a one win horse,” Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta said. “It’s pretty tough to take on those proven weight-for-age horses when there’s no need to at the moment.”

Capital Diamond will instead be aimed toward the Gr. 3 Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes in October and will further her preparation with a trial outing next week. “She’ll then kick off in an open 1200 metre sprint at either Wanganui or Hastings with that fillies’ and mares’ event at Hawera an ideal race for her,” Latta said.

Bred by Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan and raced by them with the Capital Diamond Syndicate, she made a successful debut last spring and then proved competitive with the best of her age group.

She was third in the Gr.1 NZ Bloodstock 1000 Guineas, runner-up in the Gr.2 Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic and also placed in the Gr.3 Ezibuy Eulogy, Tiger Prawn Desert Gold and Lowland Stakes.

A daughter of Lucky Unicorn, Capital Diamond is from the famed Eight Carat family and is out of a sister to Don Eduardo and a three-quarter sister to Octagonal, Mouawad, Shower of Roses and Tristalove.

Latta may still be represented at the spring meeting at Hastings with Justanexcuse and Zennista remaining in Group One contention. “Justanexcuse will run in the Foxbridge Plate and the Makfi if the fire’s out of the ground,” she said.

Dual stakes winner and Christchurch Casino Winter Classic runner-up Zennista has returned home in good order after Riccarton. “We’ll get her ready for the Merial Metric Mile and she holds a nomination for the Spring Classic, which we’ll play by ear,” Latta said.