By Dane Squance
The Tony McEvoy-trained Kinky Boom (Aus) (Spirit Of Boom {Aus}) goes into Saturday's $1.5-million G1 Blue Diamond S. (1200m) as one of only two in the field to have had a lone start, and her impressive debut victory in the Inglis 2YO sees her as a leading contender. Making her debut five days after a sensational 8 1/2-length barrier trial victory, the form from her victory is holding up with the sixth-placed horse, who was beaten by over eight lengths, coming out and winning during the week.
Having accepted with five runners (including emergencies), Tony McEvoy has the arsenal to take the first juvenile Group 1 of the season, with another of his runners Oohood (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}), crying out for the 1200m, with no runner in the Preview and Prelude (colts/geldings or fillies) recording faster last 600m sectional splits.
Backing up after a length win at listed level last Saturday, the Mick Price-trained Prairie Fire (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), also races as if he will relish the trip and with a stallion career on the line, victory on Saturday would give the Sun Stud-owned colt instant stallion appeal.
One of five unbeaten runners in the race, the David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig-trained Long Leaf (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) has done nothing but win, with the colt not having started since capturing the Preview on Jan. 27 where he produced a strong win over fellow Blue Diamond runner Ollivander (Aus) (Charge Forward {Aus}).
Team Godolphin head into the Diamond with a pair of colts, neither of whom have yet tasted race track success. Encryption (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}) is bred to be special, being out of the G1-winning filly Guelph (Aus) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), has had three starts, for three black-type placed performances, with the winners of each of those races set to oppose him on Saturday. Like his stablemate, Plague Stone (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}), the colts are racing as if they are in search of 1200m, and both look capable of producing big runs for trainer James Cummings.
The form through the G3 Chairman's S. on Feb. 3, could prove a good reference here with fantastic winner Ennis Hill (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) a leading contender, having defeated Encryption and Prairie Fire easily last time out.
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