The $250,000 Group III MRC Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) at Sandown on Saturday drew a classy field with a pair of spring stakes-winners engaged as well as several stakes-placed fillies, but it was the first starter My Gladiola that prevailed to win and she ran a second quicker than the colts division won by Shining Smile.
Trained by John McArdle and ridden by Jamie Mott, My Gladiola was the biggest girl in the mounting yard and the powerhouse grey by I Am Invincible owes much in her appearance to her dam Villa Verde, a lightning fast grey Group II winner by Not a Single Doubt.
She sat off the pace and when guided into clear running started to work through her gears with an impressive turn of foot at the furlong leaving her rivals flat footed. My Gladiola powered to the line to win by a length and a half over previously stakes-placed Price Tag (Zoustar) and Wiltshire Square (Wootton Bassett (GB) with the 1000m covered in 56.5 seconds
With John McArdle in New Zealand for the sales it was left to Jamie Mott to sing the praises of My Gladiola, who he has ridden in her two previous jumpouts.
“I'm really excited by her and have been for quite a while," Mott said.
"She jumps good, she travels well, doesn't overdo it.
"There were 13 runners here today and every one of them came here thinking they are Blue Diamond hopes, but I suppose 10 are going to leave disappointed.
"I would have been happy for her to win by a small margin knowing how much improvement she does have, so knowing she does have the acceleration to put a field away like that is exciting.
"She was able to settle amongst them, have no rail on the inside and yes, she did get a bit lost, but she will take good benefit from it."
Bred and sold by Kia Ora Stud, My Gladiola was purchased by Redgum Racing for $550,000 from Inglis Easter and has already banked $150,000 from her first win for a big team of owners that include Kia Ora, who retained an interest in the likable grey.
She is the fifth winner from seven foals to race from Villa Verde and is the first to gain Black Type. Bought as a broodmare prospect for $1.1million at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2015, Villa Verde is a three-quarter sister-in-blood to Group II winner Doubtland and stakes-winner Pretty Fast tracing back to the family of Golden Slipper winners Rory’s Jester and Ha Ha.
My Gladiola is the 113th stakes-winner for champion sire I Am Invincible.
