News

Lightning Strikes Twice As Diamond Wins Canonbury

14th Feb 2011

Racing And Sports - Alex Steedman - Saturday, 12 February 2011

Diamond To Pegasus has caused an upset in today's $100,000 Listed Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Randwick and now joins Karuta Queen as the second Queanbeyan-based two-year-old who has enjoyed metropolitan success this season.

Diamond To Pegasus was comfortably held last start behind Abstract a fortnight ago at Randwick however this didn't deter Queanbeyan-based trainer Toni Sergi from returning to the track for today's $100,000 Listed Canonbury Stakes (1100m).

Since Diamond To Pegasus' previous defeat where he led before tiring in the straight Sergi has altered the morning routine of the Fusaichi Pegasus gelding.

“We changed his work a little bit and raced him differently today,” Sergi said.

Diamond To Pegasus was today ridden a touch further back by jockey Nathan Berry who positioned the two-year-old fourth one off the fence as another country based juvenile in Stagger led.

Diamond To Pegasus and Berry quickly made their presence felt at the 300m where they hit the front before the pair held off late challenges from favourite Written Consent and Gai Waterhouse-trained Wild And Proud.

It was a massive upset with Diamond To Pegasus edging out Written Consent by a nose with Wild And Proud a further half length away in third.

Favourite punters did still have some hope after the winning post as connections of Written Consent protested claiming interference only to have it dismissed.

Supporters of Diamond To Pegasus could get big odds about the juvenile although the win didn't overly surprise trainer Toni Sergi.

Sergi has always had an opinion of the two-year-old who debuted at Moruya on January 17 over 1010m where he won comfortably by five lengths.

“His times at home have been sensational so we did expect him to run a good race,” Sergi said.

“You can never be too cocky in a Listed race but we came here a little confident.”

Diamond To Pegasus is now the second two-year-old from Queanbeyan to enjoy metropolitan success so far this season with the first being unbeaten 2YO Karuta Queen.

The speedy Neville Layt –trained filly is ridden by Tommy Berry while Diamond To Pegasus has now been partnered by brother Nathan at his past two runs.

“He gave me an enormous feel today,” Nathan Berry said.

“I said to Mr Sergi after last start that he doesn't feel shinsore, he feels like a flat horse.”

“Looking at his run today he looked like a lost horse. He blew them away early today but I was that worried at the 200m today because he just put the breaks on, he didn't know what was going on.

“I still rode him a bit positive today. I'd love to get a good barrier with him and just ride him about three back because he will explode. He has got some good races in him.”

Further campaign plans for Diamond To Pegasus have yet to be decided in what has already been a most successful preparation.

Purchased for just $7000 by Sergi at the Inglis Winter Yearling and Thoroughbred Sale, Diamond To Pegasus has now won over $70,000 in prizemoney.