The Group III MRC Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) at Caulfield on Australia Day featured an intriguing battle of blueblood fillies with Exceed and Excel first starter Miss Roseiano showing brilliant speed to lead and win in slick time.
Trained by Peter Gelagotis, she impressed with a recent Pakenham barrier trial win and confirmed that potential with a sensational win in 57.18 seconds.
She jumped quickly and took up the lead, kicking strongly in the straight for Jordan Childs to hold off a late dive from another first starter Written Swoosh (Written Tycoon) to win by half a length with race favourite Latizia (Capitalist ) in third place.
Arrowfield Stud homebred Waltz on By, an I am Invincible filly from their Group I Thousand Guineas winner Stay With Me, also ran really well for a close fourth.
“You go to the races on a difficult day like today and you don’t really know what you’ve got, but that was unbelievable,” said Peter Gelagotis.
“We’ve had a lot of good horses, but she’s one right out of the box.
“To see what she did today to that opposition, it’s exciting to be part of another good horse.”
A $300,000 Inglis Premier purchase for Gelagotis Racing / James Bester / Osher Group from the Noorilim Park draft, Miss Roseiano will progress towards the Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes on February 26.
Bred by Noorilim Park, she is the second foal and second winner from stakes-placed Pins mare Special Lover and is a three-quarter sister-in-blood to smart Group III placed Exceed and Excel mare True Excelsior.
Special Lover is a grand-daughter of blue hen and Group I winner Diamond Lover, the dam of Group I winners Don Eduardo and Tristalove, the family also featuring Group I winners Viking Ruler, De Beers and Viscount.
Special Lover has no yearling for the sales this year, but does have a weanling filly by I Am Invincible and was covered last spring by Snitzel.
Miss Roseiano is the 192nd stakes-winner for Darley’s evergreen champion sire Exceed and Excel who has enjoyed past Blue Diamond success with Earthquake and Reward for Effort.
Footnote: Runner up Written Swoosh turned in a sensational effort and must have been showing good ability for some time with her trainer Phillip Stokes paying $850,000 at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale to secure her half-brother by Trapeze Artist from the Mill Park draft.
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