News

Diamond unearthed in Inglis Banner

22nd Oct 2011

Another top juvenile by Inglis graduate Choisir was unearthed in the two-year-old event at Moonee Valley early on Cox Plate Day, with the Anthony Cummings trained Diamond Earth holding off all challenges in the $250,000 Microflite Helicopters Inglis Banner (1000m).

Sharing the same sire as inaugural race winner Starspangledbanner, DIAMOND EARTH ($60,000 2011 Classic, 2f Choisir-Face Of The Earth) made the most of her race experience to defeat Lamingtons and the fast finishing debutant Swipeline in a very competitive renewal of the juvenile contest that marks the start of the lucrative Inglis Race Series for Inglis yearling sale graduates.

“She showed great speed out of the gates at her first start, and had shown plenty of talent back home that’s why we brought her here,” said trainer Anthony Cummings.

“With that experience and the fitness that came with it she came to the valley very comfortably here on Tuesday, put in a nice gallop in nice time, doing it within herself and showed the benefit of that in today’s race.

“Blinkers also gave her that extra confidence and she travelled much better today,” Cummings added.

Jockey Damien Oliver was also full of praise for the Sydney filly, who showed plenty of fight to hold off fellow Classic Sale graduate Lamingtons down the Moonee Valley straight.

“Early we thought we might try to take a trail but she was going too well for the second horse, I thought better to keep her rhythm and go to the front,” Oliver said.

“Then she showed a lot of tenacity down the running because I thought the second horse was going to worry her out of it”.

A $60,000 purchase by Anthony Cummings at the Inglis Sydney Classic Yearling Sale in January from the draft of Golden Grove at Denman, Diamond Earth is the second foal of stakes placed Strategic mare Face Of The Earth, who is a half-sister to speedy juvenile and now sire Face Value, with her first foal being recent Caulfield winner Halle Rocks (by Fastnet Rock).

The daughter of Choisir has now well and truly paid off her purchase price, having collected $145,000 in first prizemoney for today’s victory.

Anthony Cummings was also presented with a pair of Swarovski Optik EL 42 Swarovision binoculars valued at $3,000 after the victory.

“This is a great result for new owners with the stable. Geoff [Coady] has had a whack at a few horses so it is a great result for him, being his first big winner with the stable,” Cummings said.

In addition to prizemoney and trophies the owners of Diamond Earth also received a $50,000 Inglis yearling sales voucher from Super VOBIS, that can be redeemed on a Super VOBIS qualified yearling purchase at the 2012 Inglis Melbourne Premier or Melbourne Autumn Yearling Sales.

Inglis will provide free entry to the $2.6m Inglis Race Series for the horse purchased using the voucher.

“Unbelievable, a great job by Anthony Cummings. I couldn’t be happier,” ecstatic owner Geoff Coady said.

“Anthony said come down Thursday in case the plane doesn’t get here Friday, but I did wait until Friday. The trip was well worth it.

“We are all very happy,” Coady concluded.

The next race for Inglis Race Series two-year-olds is the $250,000 Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Warwick Farm on Saturday December 17, which was won last year by Patinack Farm filly Pane In The Glass.