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Trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith today admitted he faced a challenge to have Innovation Girl at her top for the $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 23. He said the unbeaten Rubiton filly had done almost too well in the paddock during a short break after racking up a hat-trick of wins at Moonee Valley on December 8. She will have had a nine-week break between runs by the time she reappears in Sunday's Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) for fillies at Caulfield. "She's a very good doer and very tough in training but when she goes out she does very well", Mayfield-Smith said. Innovation Girl is second favourite behind unbeaten Royal Academy colt Bel Esprit for the Blue Diamond and Mayfield-Smith expects her to account for her rivals on Sunday even though he rated her only three-quarters fit. Champion jockey Damien Oliver rode her in a jumpout over 800m on the inside grass training track at Flemington this morning and Mayfield-Smith said that hitout plus Sunday's race should have her at her top for the Blue Diamond. "She's not back where she was when she went out so we'll have to see how she goes", he said. In the jumpout Innovation Girl defeated Spartacus colt Appian Way who was runner-up to smart filly Bardego in the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (900m) at Flemington last spring. Appian Way, prepared by Steve Richards, will run in Saturday's $337,000 Inglis Premier (1200m) at Flemington as will stablemate Regal Tess. Innovation Girl meets some smart fillies on Sunday such as New Zealander Raspberry Ripple, Brief Embrace, Flashed and Uniforms and Mayfield-Smith said the race would tell the story with her. "Naturally she'd have to beat those horses quite comfortably to be considered a Blue Diamond prospect because the Blue Diamond is going to be a lot harder race", the trainer summed up. Oliver has been booked to
ride the filly on Sunday and in the Blue Diamond as her regular rider
Nash Rawiller cannot make the Blue Diamond weight of 53kg. |