Chris Waller’s stable has a stronger hand for the Caulfield Guineas following a one-two finish by his colts Diameter and Somethings Burnin’ in the Group 2 Stutt Stakes at Caulfield on Sunday.
Champion jockey James McDonald secured a narrow victory for Diameter after finding a late gap, finishing ahead of his stablemate.
The Brazen Beau colt triumphed over Somethings Burnin’, a son of Too Darn Hot, in a tight finish involving three horses.
Both colts were using the Stutt Stakes as a lead-up to the Caulfield Guineas, and Waller expressed his satisfaction with their performances.
“They’re two nice horses,” Waller stated.
“He (Diameter) showed us in the autumn that he’s up to the better horses.
“He means a bit to us being a son of Brazen Beau, so it is good to have him for Godolphin.
“He (Somethings Burnin’) is a work-in-progress and he still gets a bit keen.
“We wanted to try him over a mile to see where he’s at but he’s likely a prep away so there’s a lot to look forward to.”
Diameter, the $3.20 second favourite, won by a short-head from Somethings Burnin’ ($8), with Ciaron Maher’s charge Scarole ($10) a head back in third.
This was Diameter’s second Stakes success, having won the Listed Fernhill Stakes (1600m) in the autumn and finishing behind stablemates Fireball and Campione D’Italia in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes.
McDonald was impressed by Diameter’s determination to find the line.
“It looked a bit dicey at the top of the straight, to be fair, but I had a willing partner to get us through that,” McDonald said.
“He was superior and he did a really good job.
“There’s a good race in a couple of weeks here for him and it has Group 1 next to its name, so I could definitely see him figuring in that.
“He’s on the way up.”
Diameter firmed into $11 for the $3 million Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 10 at Caulfield, and he is the same price for the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick two weeks later. Explore the available online bookmakers for your next wager.