Wayne Hawkes anticipates Blue Diamond hero Devil Night will pose a serious threat during Saturday’s Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m).
The colt out of Extreme Choice vaulted into the spotlight, joining Redoute’s Choice as the second to snag the Blue Diamond at their second career run, despite going winless over the ensuing seven appearances.
Working with father John and brother Michael, Hawkes describes Devil Night as an easygoing professional type. The horse has been in fine fettle this time in, taking bronze as the $81 outsider in the William Reid Stakes to Jigsaw, then closely shadowing star filly Tempted in the Arrowfield Sprint when last sighted.
“He’s going super,” Hawkes said.
“His form looks pretty good. We were tossing between coming to The Goodwood or going to Queensland for the 10,000, because he was already in Sydney we didn’t want to bring him all the way to Adelaide.
When he ran third in the William Reid everyone went ‘oh, he’s going well’ and he was always going well, he’s just never had much luck and that form has stood up very well.
Then running second to Tempted and everyone’s going, gee this is fair form.”
At $8 odds for the Doomben 10,000 versus $2.80 frontrunner Jimmysstar, a Group One open-age conquest would prove invaluable for the Yulong-owned colt, targeted by the stable from afar.
“He’s just been poking along in Sydney, he’s the best colt. He’s got one of the best attitudes in a colt I’ve ever had,” Hawkes said
“We have set him for this race, we’ve always had this race in the back of our minds so it’s not an afterthought.
Even if some of the races aren’t as strong as others, afterthoughts, most times you don’t win.”
Royal Ascot dreams for Lady Of Camelot are cancelled after the Golden Slipper winner got stung by a stingray beachside Tuesday, knocking her out of Saturday and questioning her racing prospects.
This opens the door for second favourite Napoleonic, who needs one scratching for the 16-horse contest, while Devil Night draws stall eight with Ben Melham retained to ride.
Head to trusted betting sites for Doomben 10,000 odds and markets.
