Fillies now head the markets for two of Australia's major juvenile contests, with Catchy (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) joining stablemate Tulip (Aus) (Pierro {Aus}) at the top of the betting for the G1 Blue Diamond S. after remaining unbeaten at Caulfield on Saturday.
Trained by David Hayes and Tom Dabernig, Catchy was sent off favourite for the Peter Siggins Plate over 1100 metres having impressed on debut at Moonee Valley last month and she struck again, winning by 2 1/4 lengths at Caulfield under Craig Williams.
“She's two from two which is not easy to do and it's testing conditions out there,” said the jockey. “She understood her job a lot better today. Panic stations set in a little bit around the turn, off the bridle, but once she got balanced and got into the straight she was impressive again. She's won twice now without having pressure really applied to her.”
'TDN Rising Star' Tulip, a debutante winner at Moonee Valley on New Year's Eve and the first for her young Coolmore sire Pierro, is set to reappear in the G3 Blue Diamond Preview on Jan. 26 while Catchy, a A$220,000 Inglis Easter yearling, is being aimed at the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude on Feb. 11, meaning that the two fillies are unlikely to meet until the G1 Blue Diamond S. itself on Feb. 25.
“We'll just give [Catchy] a little freshen up and then into the Prelude and hopefully the Blue Diamond Stakes,” Hayes confirmed. “It was great to see her run well here at Caulfield and see the improvement in her.”
Meanwhile, another unbeaten filly, She Will Reign (Aus) (Manhattan Rain {Aus}), is currently the top pick in the betting for the G1 Golden Slipper S. following a demolition job in the valuable Inglis Nursery at Randwick on Dec. 17 for her second victory.
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