Big-eating filly My Gladiola hungry for success in Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield

Trainer John McArdle says the signs are good for eating machine My Gladiola in his bid for a first Blue Diamond Stakes victory.

Eating machine My Gladiola could be the filly to give Mornington trainer John McArdle his first major two-year-old triumph in Saturday’s Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield.

McArdle has won most of the early two-year-old features but has had to settle for fourth as his best result in Victoria’s richest two-year-old event.

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The trainer said My Gladiola loves her food but has comfortably paid for her high-performance diet, banking more than $200,000 in her two starts.

“She’s a little bit like me and she carries a bit of condition but she’s an absolute garbage guts and we can’t stop her eating,” McArdle said.

“She’s eaten up so well after her races, which is a great sign.”

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My Gladiola won the Group 3 Blue Diamond Preview on debut at Sandown last month before finishing a length from Palm Angel in the Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield.

The grey filly had to work across from barrier 10 to lead in the Blue Diamond Prelude but McArdle said jockey Jamie Mott would apply different tactics from barrier 11 in the $2m showpiece.

McArdle said the leaders would work into what could be a stiff northerly breeze in the first half of the race, which would require Mott to take My Gladiola further back in the field.

“We were hoping to draw inside 10 and we’re one outside that, so we’re fairly happy,” McArdle said.

My Gladiola will have a rematch with her last start conqueror Palm Angel in Saturday’s Blue Diamond Stakes. Picture: Getty Images

“We’ll ride her quieter than what we did in the Prelude, more like what we did in the Preview, but we’ll do our best to get her comfortable and relaxed.

“If the northerly is blowing, it’s going to be tough to be on speed and leading.

“We’ll be coming out quiet hopefully she doesn’t begin quite as quickly as she last time.

“In saying that, there’s a 16-horse field in a Blue Diamond so there’s going to be pressure.

“Hopefully she can come across just in behind them and getting the cart into the race.

“If she’s good enough she’ll be there.”

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For any trainer in Saturday’s race, running well in the Blue Diamond would produce thoughts of progressing to next month’s Golden Slipper in Sydney.

McArdle said he would wait to assess My Gladiola’s recovery from Saturday’s race before determining whether to head north.

However, he said the likelihood of My Gladiola improving next season would form part of his thinking.

“We’ll be purely guided by her,” McArdle said.

“If she runs well on Saturday and we’ll look at it after that. She’s still in the Slipper so it’s possible.

“She’s done a great job, and the owners have been on a great ride but most of the I Am Invincibles are better at three.

“We think she’ll continue on as a three-year-old.”

Originally published as Big-eating filly My Gladiola hungry for success in Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield