Shining Smile will bypass this Saturday’s Blue Diamond Stakes, with Lindsay Park trainers Ben, Will, and JD Hayes selecting Tycoon Star and Miss Celine as their runners in the $2 million Group 1 feature at Caulfield.
Shining Smile’s dead-heat win in the Talindert Stakes was impressive, but the training trio decided to focus on their horses whose campaigns were structured around the Blue Diamond.
Written Tycoon colt Tycoon Star will tackle the 1200m race second-up after a solid fourth in the Blue Diamond Prelude, while Miss Celine is set for her third run this preparation, following appearances in the 1000m Preview and 1100m Prelude.
Since her victory in the Listed Debutant Stakes (1000m) in October, Miss Celine has steadily built fitness. Will Hayes believes her preparation has been executed perfectly.
“We framed her prep off Hayasugi, we wanted her to be peaking third-up, and as you see in her beaten margins, five-and-a-half lengths and two-and-a-half lengths, she’s a horse on the up and I think she’ll be peaking on Blue Diamond Day,” Hayes said.
Though finishing fourth in both lead-ups, Hayes is adamant she will excel over the extra distance.
“The way that she won the Debutant she showed us her pattern is to ride cold and come around them and that’s when she runs her best because she really does savage the line,” Hayes said.
“Up in trip is really going to be suitable.”
Tycoon Star is also expected to improve after running fourth in the Prelude, closing well from the back of the field.
His only other starts came in spring, where he scored a victory in the Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) on Melbourne Cup Day.
“He’s another one that was very lucky to have the prizemoney under his belt, so we didn’t have to win and it wasn’t a grand final,” Hayes said.
“We knew from the wide gate we were going to get back, we just had to piece our way through the field, and I think with a little bit of luck he probably goes a little bit closer.
“He’s come out of it terrific and he’ll be ready to go second-up.”
Will Hayes hopes to add his name to the Blue Diamond honour roll alongside his family members, with Ben and JD securing victory two years ago. Their father, David, has six wins to his name, while grandfather Colin triumphed three times.
