Shooting to Win colt Shotmaker has received high praise from his trainer Mick Price in the lead up to his race day debut in the Group 3 $200,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
I Am Immortal, above, is the favourite for the 2019 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
A good performance from Shotmaker on the weekend will see Price chasing another win in the 2019 Group 1 $1.5m Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in a fortnight after collecting the trophy twice in the last seven years with Sanaready in 2012 and with Extreme Choice in 2016 .
“He’s very much on trial for the Blue Diamond,” Price told AAP.
“He’s probably not as brilliant as Flying Artie or Extreme Choice, they were very automatic sort of horses and wanted to run and get going and keep running.
“He’s hits the front and wants to stargaze a bit, this horse.
“He’s going to be a beautiful three-year-old but, anyway, I’m trying to do something with him as a two-year-old.
“I don’t think I’ve got too many runs in him this preparation but he’s a very, very promising colt.”
Damian Lane takes the ride on Shotmaker who has drawn barrier nine in the ten horse Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) field.
Early betting for the Blue Diamond Prelude at Ladbrokes.com.au has Shotmaker marked at $6.50 on the second line of betting behind the $2.60 favourite I Am Immortal.
The Anthony Freedman trained I Am Immortal was a one length winner on debut in the Listed $160,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Preview (C&G) (1000m) at Caulfield on January 26 and has drawn the rails in the Prelude with Ben Melham in the saddle.
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