Tom Dabernig has Blue Diamond, Inglis Millennium on radar after Cavalry Girl charges to Flemington win

Trainer Tom Dabernig has some rich rich two-year-old contests in his sights following the win of Cavalry Girl at Flemington.

Two-year-old filly Cavalry Girl cruises to an easy win at Flemington on Saturday. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

A jewel and plenty of cash will be at the centre of trainer Tom Dabernig’s thinking after Cavalry Girl’s dominant Flemington win.

Cavalry Girl entered the reckoning for February’s rich two-year-old contests in Melbourne and Sydney when she disposed of her rivals in the VRC Punters Club Sprint (1000m).

Cavalry Girl was one of three runners with the advantage of race experience in the $150,000 race, showing the benefit of her debut second at Geelong when cruising home to score easily with jockey Linda Meech aboard.

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Dabernig said he and managing owner, Prime Thoroughbreds founder Joe O’Neill, needed to discuss their next month after the filly’s decisive success.

“She was well found by Joe O’Neill. He’s a great judge and his record speaks for itself,” Dabernig said.

“She’s an Inglis graduate so she is eligible for the $2m race in early Feb(ruary).

“That’s on the radar if she pulls up OK and she’s still in the Blue Diamond as well so we’ve got a little bit to think about.

“It all depends on her and how she comes through the run.”

Cavalry Girl started the $3.80 favourite after the late scratching of the Phillip Stokes-trained Hot Whiskers.

Cavalry Girl wins it well down the straight! 👏@dabernigracingpic.twitter.com/SEs6T6XyEw

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) January 18, 2025

Meech confidently rode Cavalry Girl, keeping the daughter of former straight track star Bivouac out of trouble early.

That move paid off as mid-race interference hindered some of the runners, but Cavalry Girl let down impressively in the last 200m to score by 1½ lengths.

“Mid-race there was a little bit of shuffling of positions, but she didn’t let it put her off her game,” Dabernig said.

Dabernig said the 1200m of the Inglis Millennium and Blue Diamond Stakes was an unknown factor, but Cavalry Girl had the right racing manners to succeed over longer trips.

“She’s got very good speed and that’s probably a little bit unknown,” Dabernig said.

“But she’s got good recovery and good lungs.

“She did that quite comfortably. She looked to do it well within herself I thought.”

Owner John O'Niell has a couple of big races to consider with Cavalry Girl. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

The $3.90 second favourite Ethereum Girl over-raced before weakening in the last 200m to beat two runners home.

Hot Whiskers’ trainer Phillip Stokes said the filly was agitated in her stall during the saddling process before she slipped over.

However, he said How Whiskers took no harm from the accident and could run at Sandown next Saturday.

Originally published as Tom Dabernig has Blue Diamond, Inglis Millennium on radar after Cavalry Girl charges to Flemington win