The tragic loss of Spirit of Boom this year for the Queensland breeding industry is a big one, but he does leave behind a Group I winning son in Jonker, who is making headway with five first crop winners from 16 runners, the latest to salute coming at Ipswich on Friday.
Trained by Corey & Kylie Geran, Syrian Diamond had two starts back in February for a debut sixth at Eagle Farm to subsequent Group II winning filly Cherry Bomshell and then a third at Toowoomba.
Resuming from a spell the two year-old gelding let down with a big finish to charge home and win the 1100m maiden by a long head on the line.
Passed in as a yearling, Syrian Diamond was bought through Inglis Digital for $12,000 by part-owner Ian Heilig and is the fourth winner from five foals to race from Syrian Bride (NZ), an unraced sister to Group I VRC Victoria Derby winner Kibbutz.
A fast and precocious juvenile, Jonker showed the same attributes of speed, toughness and longevity as his sire to train on as an older horse with his career defining win in the Group I MVRC Manikato Stakes coming at age six.
Jonker started his stud career at Aquis Stallions in Queensland, but following the passing of Spirit of Boom has been relocated to his former home of Eureka Stud where he will stand at a fee of $7,700.
