Young trainer Patrick Kearney to start Blue Diamond Stakes bid at Seymour on Thursday
Provincial maidens have been the springboard for a few previous Blue Diamond Stakes winners and Ballarat trainer Patrick Kearney would love to join that list with Prince Marionette.
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A provincial maiden is a long way from winning the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes but the others have completed the climb in past years.
Lyre (2019), Reaan (2008) and Road To Success (2000) progressed from provincial maidens to claim Victoria’s richest two-year-old race in the last 25 years.
Ballarat trainer Patrick Kearney will begin down that road with Prince Marionette in Thursday’s Parker Bros Earthmoving Maiden Plate (1100m) at Seymour.
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Prince Marionette is one of 11 acceptors in the race with most trainers looking to test their youngsters ahead of the start of the Blue Diamond Series at Sandown on Saturday week.
Kearney decided to send the colt to Seymour instead of Saturday’s two-year-old race at Flemington despite the son of Royal Meeting winning two jumpouts in western Victoria.
“I guess you have to go there (Seymour) if you’ve got one up and going because it might be the only option you’re going to get or you’ll have to go to Flemington down the straight,” Kearney said.
“I think that is a bit of a natural progression. If he’s up and going and wins, we probably will see him in a Blue Diamond Prelude.”
Kearney was excited to have a two-year-old in his stable that has comfortably coped with the rigours of his first racing campaign.
He said the youngster had easily handled everything thrown at him to date.
“He’s a nice horse. Very professional,” Kearney said.
“Everything he’s done, he’s done very, very easily.
“I haven’t had a two-year-old go to the races that has done everything as easily as this horse had.
“I’d like to say that he’s the best one that I’ve bought and put a saddle on.
“I hope I’m right.”
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Thursday’s Seymour contest has drawn runners from the Ciaron Maher, Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr, Lindsay Park and Godolphin stables.
Kearney said it would be a boost for the team if the stable could upset some of Australia’s biggest stables in a two-year-old race.
“We’re making sure we take a well educated two-year-old to the races to compete against the big boys,” Kearney said.
“It’s pretty unusual to see a little fella like me go in there and beat them but it would be a nice feeling to do that.”
Prince Marionette opened at $34 in early betting but is now as short as $11.
Jockey Rhys McLeod will ride Prince Marionette at Seymour.
Originally published as Young trainer Patrick Kearney to start Blue Diamond Stakes bid at Seymour on Thursday
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