Randwick winner earns Blue Diamond trip

Wednesday 8 January 2014, 5:12pm

Nayeli earned a shot at the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes with a debut victory at Randwick on Wednesday.

Two years ago her owner Greg Kolivos enjoyed extraordinary success with Pierro, who won the two-year-old triple crown of the Golden Slipper, Sires' Produce and Champagne Stakes.

Whether the Gai Waterhouse-trained Nayeli is in that class remains to be seen but she will be given the chance to add next month's Melbourne feature to Kolivos' Group One juvenile haul.

"Gai is keen to head down there," Tulloch Lodge spokesman Mark Newnham said.

She's be set for the Fillies' Prelude and then the Blue Diamond.

Despite the stable confidence, Nayeli was a betting ring drifter from $6 to $7.50.

After enjoying a good run behind the speed she comfortably overhauled leader and eventual third placegetter Annatime to score by two lengths.

Peggy Jean finished second, a neck ahead of Annatime.

Kolivos said he was happy to defer any decisions on the filly's future to Waterhouse.

"I will leave it to the bosses," he said.

"But she is a lovely filly."

Another Waterhouse-trained two-year-old he races, Francesco, is also likely to be aimed at the Blue Diamond following his third on debut at Rosehill in December.

Nayeli's victory provided a perfect return for Tommy Berry in his first ride since being suspended at the Hong Kong International meeting a month ago.

Berry said the youngster had made good improvement since she finished runner-up in a barrier trial last month.

"She was impressive enough in her trial although she didn't blow us out of the water but her work since on the track has been really good," Berry said.

"Mark and Gai waited for the perfect race and this was it."

Meanwhile Shamalia took her record to two wins from as many starts in the Australian Turf Club Handicap.

Trained by Bart and James Cummings, she was ridden by Tim Clark who labelled her a "classy filly" capable of progressing to stakes company.

The heavily backed New Divide also impressed with his narrow but resolute win in the Hyland Race Colours Handicap.

– AAP

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