Charming Diamond looks like a real gem
The best from yesterday's gallops on the training track
It was two and a half months ago that Charming Diamond announced his coming.
Having just his second start at Kranji since arriving on our shores in late January and jumping from the outermost gate in that 1,100m flyer on the Polytrack, Charming Diamond was the brightest of the lot, sprinting clear over the concluding stages to win by a length.
Punters have long memories and they remembered how Charming Diamond ran on debut. That day in May, he had come from off a spot in midfield to finish third behind Big Hearted.
They liked that run and they backed him accordingly, sending his off as the $12 top fancy.
However, if they thought he was going to put a double on the board, they were mistaken. Charming Diamond put in a poor performance at his next start, beating just two home.
Then again, there were excuses. The race was on grass - which we now suspect is not his preferred surface. And the race was a high-class affair - the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe. So, let's not hold it against him.
Anyway, if you fancy Charming Diamond, here's the good news. The three-year-old is in rattling form and ready for his assignment on Friday which, by the way, is a 1,200m sprint on the Poly.
The youngster from Shane Baertschiger's yard was on the training track yesterday morning and, with Matt Kellady in the saddle, he did everything right when running the 600m in 37.6sec.
It was a fine piece of work by the New Zealand-bred who, at his last start, added some more money into the kitty when finishing third to Toosbies.
Watch him in Friday's "Novice" event. He's in form and he's got no weight on his back.
SUNDAY'S MEETING
Trainer Lee Freedman has some pretty nifty ones running on Sunday and two were outstanding on the training track yesterday morning.
In separate gallops, Mr Coppola (Joseph Azzopardi) ran the 600m in 38.1sec while Irving Lipschitz (Daniel Moor) covered the same trip in 37.8sec.
A four-year-old six-starter, Irving Lipschitz has been a quiet achiever in the Freedman yard. A gutsy galloper, he is always game for a rumble.
Take that last-start win in July. Holding a midfield spot for most of the trip, he unleashed a burst over the final 200m, hit the front and then matched motors with Absolvido. In a tight finish, he got the nod.
Then there was that winning effort in February. Leading from the front in that 1,400m race, he refused to give an inch when challenged by King's Speech - who had the momentum.
It was that fighting spirit which saw him share the spoils in that deadheat for first.
He meets some nifty ones in that Class 4 race over the mile. Rest assured, he will give them a run for their money.
Likewise, Mr Coppola. Having just his first outing for the season, he scored a fine win last month. It was his first success in seven starts and, now that he has experienced the thrill of winning, expect more from this son of Redoute's Choice.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now