Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Trainer David Pfieffer is adamant there’s more than one side to emerging mare Oh Diamond Lil and won’t be afraid to use it if needed as she chases successive wins at Randwick on Saturday.

It’s Pfieffer’s belief the four-year-old is at her best when let stride, as she did when winning over the mile two weeks ago, but he’s wary the Mostyn Copper Handicap (1600m) contains a couple of potential stumbling blocks to that end.

They include last start all the way winner Aberlour and another noted on pacer in Uzziah.

“I think she can adapt. She’s proven to be versatile but I think it’s her asset to roll along,’’ he said.

“Her asset is her high cruising speed but she has done it before when she’s taken a sit and won. She did it at Scone from a sit and won.

“We’ll see what happens in the first few hundred metres, she’s so good out of the gates that after three or four strides she’s in a solid rhythm.

“So they’ve really got to work to go with her and in the past they’ve worked to go with her and brought themselves undone.”

Oh Diamond Lil, $2.10 with TAB on Friday, has had a big second half of the season where she’s started to realise the potential Pfieffer knew was there.

Oh Diamond Lil wins at Randwick on July 12

She didn’t win a maiden until December, at Kembla Grange, but has won four of her seven starts since then.

Pfieffer considered targeting Big Dance eligibility through next week’s Coffs Harbour Cup but thought Saturday’s race was too good a fit to ignore.

“We thought about it with Coffs Harbour but when you’re set for this race with a rail out so far and a small field it’s pretty hard to ignore,’’ he said.

“We’re going to a Benchmark 88, up in grade and down a fraction in weight, but we’ve also got the small field that will work in her favour. With the rail out it’s going to be a big plus for her as well.

“Obviously mares stakes races we will want to target, whether it’s this preparation or next we’ll summarise after Saturday.”

Meanwhile, Pfieffer’s other runner on Saturday is King Of The Ring who resumes in the WIN Corporation Plate (1300m) at Kembla Grange.

He said the son of Brutal, rising four, should start to come into his own this time in and would be surprised if he doesn’t show signs of that first-up.

“He’s trialled well, he’s a slow maturing type which replicates the stallion,’’ he said.

“I expect him to show improvement this preparation but I do think he will do something for us Saturday.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting