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West Australian
30-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Bohemian Diamond a strong favourite for $100,000 clash but Dyson says Kelvinater can surprise
Two weeks ago, Bohemian Diamond showed she had the wood over most of her rivals in the WestSpeed Platinum Autumn Final (1400m) and should again assert her superiority on her rivals in the $100,000 Pinjarra feature. This week's $1.85 TABtouch fancy improved her impressive first-up record when scoring a comprehensive two-length win over Royal Gap and Cheryl's Shout (both $13 this weekend) on May 17. From that race, fourth placegetter Hammarmill ($8.50), seventh Major Mario ($12), ninth Why Me ($14), 10th Zac Luvs To Fly ($41) and 11th finisher Storm Commander ($51) will all reoppose. Whilst she has expressed an edge over those rivals, Kelvinater ($8.50) brings a different form-line and shapes as a logical challenger to the strong favourite. The $280,000 earner disappointed when finishing almost 10 lengths from Hammarmill two starts ago before rebounding just a week later to win on May 10. His rider, Taj Dyson, believes he can upstage the hotpot and says any overnight rainfall will be no object. 'I think he can (win). I actually really do like him tomorrow,' Dyson told TABradio. 'He just tends to be a different horse when he's in front and freewheeling a bit. 'I don't think the weight bothers him; the last start put that to bed. 'His wet form is pretty good, so I think if he can find the front and control, I think he'll be hard to beat. 'If we can lead (Cheryl's Shout) without doing too much work… he'll be extremely hard to beat.' Prior to last start, Kelvinater had not won since July 2023 when winning a 61+ rated race at Belmont. The gelding clearly has an affinity for Dyson having been partnered by him for three of his five career wins, with the jockey only returning to race riding in January after retiring in September 2023. 'He's definitely got the class on his side and it's a big mental game with him,' Dyson said. 'When a rider tries to tell him what to do, he throws the towel in pretty quick. 'He's a temperamental horse and even at trackwork, he's a handful, so Pop (trainer Fred Kersley) does a very good job with him. 'The drop in grade has obviously helped but he does have the ability to do it, it's just all in his head.' The five-year-old is by little known stallion Heritage – a half-brother to champion Northerly - from Fred Kersley's unraced mare Sheer Royalty. Just months before Sheer Royalty's birth, a pacer by the same name proved herself to be WA's best filly by capturing two Group 1s within two weeks, including the 2009 WA Oaks. + Speedy mare Joliestar ($3f) remains outright elect for the Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm, while Statuario ($6) just leads Belle Detelle ($10 to $6.50) for the other Group 1, the Queensland Derby (2400m).
West Australian
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Bohemian Diamond to extend impressive record in WestSpeed Platinum Autumn Final at Pinjarra
Impressive first-up winner Bohemian Diamond will look to clinch the biggest payday of her short career when she lines up a commanding favourite in the $100,000 WestSpeed Platinum Autumn Final (1400m) at Pinjarra on Saturday. This week's $1.85 TABtouch favourite was having just her ninth start when she parked behind the pace-makers two weeks ago before being eased into clear air by Brad Parnham rounding the home turn. The daughter of Maschino soon accounted for her rivals and drew away over the final 200m to win by a resounding two-length margin over Royal Gap and Cheryl's Shout, who are both $14 this week. Her previous two wins had both come over 1400m, meaning this week's 100m rise is sure to be suitable for the progressive four-year-old. She leads Hammarmill ($7.50) in the market, who won his own heat on May 3 before running fourth to the betting principal a fortnight later. Kelvinater ($8.50), a well beaten sixth and nearly 10 lengths behind Hammarmill in that contest, rebounded seven days later to score a stylish win over 1400m. Major Mario ($9.50) was third behind Kelvinater in that event but raced a week after, placing seventh and six lengths behind Bohemian Diamond. Why Me ($12) was ninth and seven lengths inferior to Bohemian Diamond at his latest appearance. He is only second-up and is yet to place at 1400m, with some of his best efforts coming at extended trips. Valdarena ($12), a second runner in the race for Stephanie Bakranich to supplement Major Mario, took a different path to his stablemate by running a four-length fourth to Hammarmill in preparation for this race. Like No Other ($19) will be an interesting runner should he take his position in the lineup. He was seventh and four lengths behind Camera Action in the Provincial Championship Final two weeks ago but also raced as recently as Wednesday, where he was eighth and three lengths behind Azena. Storm Commander ($61) was 11th and 11 lengths afield of Bohemian Diamond, while Zac Luvs To Fly ($91) was three quarters of a length better off in 10th position. + Earlier in the day, richly talented colt September Born ($2.30f) will return as the top elect in the $80,000 Country Comfort Perth Plate (1200m) but has the addition of bar plates for the first time. The maligned addition to any horse's gear is sure to deter some supporters of the colt who devastated his rivals with a recent Lark Hill trial win. Sprinting powerfully, he surged down the outside that heat on May 19 with a sense of authority. However, he did look as though he had physical fitness to come from the outing and that is again likely to be the case on Saturday. Pond Master ($4.20) couldn't match Elite Missile last week but was a thorough winner two weeks prior. He has returned in top touch for Takahide Ikenushi. Wind And The Lion ($4.40) was removed from Wednesday's revised Pinjarra meeting to be preserved for this and comes in with logical claims after a stylish second to Celestial Storm upon resumption. Earthstorm ($21 into $11) is the main market move after finishing fifth to Repossession first-up, beaten two lengths two weeks ago. + Exciting two-year-old Silent Diva ($2.20f) will make her second racetrack appearance in the opening race following a brilliant sit-sprint effort to win on debut. Caught up in traffic in the home straight, the Alabama Express filly unleashed a withering turn of foot to gather her rivals up and win on May 17. Credited for her constitution, readiness and soundness post-race by co-trainer Grant Williams, he indicated the youngster would persevere with her preparation, which continues this weekend. Baby Pearl ($4.80), second at her only start in January behind Luana Miss, has attracted support from $6 in and did win an Ascot trial on May 12 leading up to this. In Confidence ($8) got the job done on debut, winning by three quarters of a length at Pinjarra on May 14 and rounds out those at single-digit odds. + Richanco ($2.30f) and Celestial Storm ($3) are the only runners under double figures in the sixth race, with both impressing with wins at their latest starts. Richanco has been guided by Brad Parnham to easy wins at his two starts this campaign and looks likely to handle the rise in grade, while Celestial Storm never really looked like losing when racing fresh on May 10. + Camera Action ($3.20f) makes her first appearance since capturing the $100,000 Provincial Championship Final at Belmont two weeks ago. She has eased from $2.70, however, with support for the consistent Dug Another Hole ($6 into $4.80) and Speed Dream ($9.50 into $8.50). + Queensland's Eagle Farm circuit will host the Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) and Queensland Derby (2400m), both at Group 1 level, this weekend. Zippy sprinter Joliestar ($2.90f) has her first start in six weeks when starting the market principal in the Kingsford Smith and is to be ridden by James McDonald. Following her Newmarket (1200m) win in March, the four-year-old was ninth but only two lengths from Briasa in the T J Smith (1200m) and runner-up to Jimmysstar in the All Aged Stakes (1400m). Giga Kick ($5) was hotly fancied to take The Goodwood at Morphettville three weeks ago but couldn't run down Reserve Bank after sitting in a rearward spot. Benedetta ($7.50) was fourth in last fortnight's Doomben 10,000 to Sunshine In Paris, while Bosustow ($8.50) could not have been more impressive in a six-length Gold Coast Guineas trounce two weeks ago. Trainer Joe Pride has declared Private Eye ($9) to be as good as ever in the lead-up to this as the $12 million earner has his first run for the calendar year. South Australian Derby runner-up Statuario ($5f) leads the Queensland Derby market and is favoured to turn the tables on Femminile ($8.50). That day, Femminile cut the corner and saved ground while Statuario carted wide around the pack and the difference was only three quarters of a length. Belle Detelle ($6) won back-to-back races earlier this year and was a three-length sixth in the Rough Habit on May 17 as a $3.10 chance. King Of Thunder ($8.50) is the other runner at single digits after running third in that Rough Habit behind Imperialist ($18).
