News

Alinghi's brother in Blue Diamond debut

3rd Feb 2009

AAP Racing - Mark Ryan - Tuesday, 3 February 2009

Alinghi's brother Shoot Through makes his much-anticipated debut in Saturday's Group Three Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield.

A $2.2 million Australian Easter Yearling Sale purchase, Shoot Through is raced by Nathan Tinkler's Patinack Farm Racing Syndicate and partners including his breeder Yarraman Park Stud.

Champion filly Alinghi won the 2004 fillies prelude (1100m) and the Blue Diamond (1200m) and was third to Dance Hero in the Golden Slipper.

As a three-year-old she went on to take out three more Group One races including the Thousand Guineas (1600m) and the Newmarket Hcp (1200m).

She later won at Group Three level in the US and retired with 11 wins from 18 starts.

Trainer Mick Price said Shoot Through was sharp enough to run well over the 1100m of the prelude, although he felt 1200m would suit him better.

"He's definitely got ability, but it's a matter of whether he's a natural two-year-old," Price said of the son of Encosta De Lago and Oceanfast.

"He appeals to me as a Caulfield Guineas type.

"He's a lovely, big colt with some good ability and he has a great brain on him.

"I'd prefer him at 1200 metres, but I think he's going to put himself into the race."

Chris Symons, who will ride Shoot Through on Saturday, rode the colt in a pleasing gallop at Caulfield on Tuesday.

Price had been going to start the colt in last Saturday's Talindert Stakes (1100m) at Flemington but said he wasn't 100 per cent happy with him and didn't accept for the Listed race.

He took him across town for a look at the straight course at Flemington last Tuesday when Shoot Through won an 800m jumpout, running 47.68 seconds with his last 400m in 22.98s.

Price said stablemate Gruenfeld, fourth to Reward For Effort in the Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) for colts and geldings at Caulfield on January 26, had been sent for a spell and would miss the $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 21.

However Merson Cooper Stakes winner Corsaire will be a fillies prelude starter on Saturday.

"She's a bombproof daughter of Anabaa and I'm happy to run her," Price said.

Corsaire jumped from the outside gate, 14, in the Merson Cooper (1000m) at her only appearance at Sandown last spring but went forward early to sit second and kept going to score by two lengths from Take The Rap.

Among her rivals on Saturday will be the Steve Richards-trained Rostova, the $3.20 Blue Diamond favourite in fixed odds betting with TAB Sportsbet.