News

Diamond Winner Back with a Vengeance

17th Jul 2010

An absence of 469 days wasn’t enough to stop last year’s Blue Diamond winner Reward For Effort making a triumphant return to racing in today’s Listed Sir John Monash Stakes at Caulfield.

REWARD FOR EFFORT ($190,000 2008 Premier, 3c Exceed And Excel-Miss Prospect) was one of Australia’s best two-year-olds last season and he became his sire’s first Group 1 winner when a dominant winner of the Blue Diamond Stakes in February 2009.

However, injury has kept him off the scene since April last year, missing almost his entire three-year-old season. Importantly though, he has been able to add a belated stakes success in his Classic season, further adding to his already considerable stud value.

“It's been heartbreaking to see the other three-year-olds run around for the riches while this colt has been on the sidelines and not doing much,” trainer Peter Moody said.

“It's been a long ride and hard ride but the owners have been very patient.

“He's as good as any colt in the land and I think would have won the Golden Slipper except for the heavy (track).

“He's not going to get to be champion three-year-old but I think he'll be a hell of a four-year-old.”

Reward For Effort was bred by Contract Racing and sold by Basinghall Farm to Dynamic Syndications. Today’s win takes his earnings beyond the $800,000 mark.

He followed $100,000 Inglis Bonus 3YO winner Breitling in scoring a feature win at Caulfield today for Melbourne Premier graduates. Yallambee Stud graduate Imperial Command ($140,000 2008) was another Premier winner at Caulfield today.