The first two-year-old Group 1 of the season has now taken place, with Hayasugi (Royal Meeting x China Road) and Jamie Kah proving a class above the rest at Caulfield for Clinton McDonald. In winning the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes, Hayasugi became just the second horse to win the G3 Preview, G2 Prelude and the G1 Blue Diamond, emulating Midnight Fever in 1987.
Settled towards the rear of the field by Jamie Kah, Hayasugi swept down the outside of the field to hit the line in front in a masterclass of race riding and timing. Her owners, Cara Mox and Alex Leung were thrilled with the victory, winning the $2 million race with a horse purchased for just $47,500 from the Inglis Sydney Weanling Sale alongside James Bester.
Hayasugi wins the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes (Image: Racing Photos)
She was her first-season sire, Royal Meeting’s first, and only winner, and now becomes his first Group 1 winner from just six runners. Bred and owned by Godolphin in Europe, and trained by Saeed bin Suroor, Royal Meeting was unbeaten as a two-year-old, winning the G1 Criterium International on just his second start. It would be his final victory, as he then raced for Godolphin in Australia and Dubai, but with no success. He now stands at Leneva Park for a fee of just $11,000 in 2023.
The first three home in this year's Blue Diamond were all fillies by Victorian Stallions, resulting in a Victorian-sired trifecta. Filling the places behind Hayasugi were two daughters of Yulong’s eight-time Champion Victorian Sire, Written Tycoon, as Lady Of Camelot finished second, and Kuroyanagi third. Go Bloodstock’s homebred Lady Of Camelot (ex Miss Debutante) looked to have the race won for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, having always been prominent in the race, until she was collared late on by Hayasugi.
Kuroyanagi (ex Tetsuko) was also ridden prominently and followed up her second in the G2 Prelude by another impressive performance here, but again Hayasugi was too good for her. The top three all posted impressive performances, showing that their futures are bright, a great result for Victorian stallions which continue to impress.
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