2024 Merson Cooper Stakes: Jason Warren may aim winner Palm Angel at 2025 Blue Diamond Stakes
A proven mix could lead to Mornington trainer Jason Warren having a serious crack at the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes with Merson Cooper Stakes winner Palm Angel.
A proven mix could lead to Mornington trainer Jason Warren having a serious crack at the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes with Merson Cooper Stakes winner Palm Angel.
Palm Angel ($12) lived up to her impressive jumpout form when she led throughout to win the Listed race on debut with jockey Ethan Brown aboard.
Palm Angel carried the red and white silks of breeder Rosemont Stud, who stands her sire Starspangledbanner, the same sire as the Warren-trained Group 2-winner Brooklyn Hustle.
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“We didn’t want to go the early crow but she’s by Starspangledbanner out of a Pivotal mare and we had a bit of fun with a mare called Brooklyn Hustle bred on the same cross,” Warren said.
“We’ve liked this filly a lot from the first day we started galloping her.
“I said to the boys at Rosemont, the whole team, she’s pretty special and she’s just shown that at the trials.”
Warren said the chestnut filly showed her ability when trialling against older horses at Balnarring earlier this month.
He said a familiarisation gallop at Caulfield on Tuesday morning primed the youngster for her sharp debut performance.
Palm Angel leads from the outset to take out the Merson Cooper Stakes 😇@WarrenRacing@Brown_ethan8pic.twitter.com/OBjAgzv9D6
— Racing.com (@Racing) November 30, 2024
“She’s very much the professional and she’s an exciting filly,” Warren said.
“She’ll have a freshen up now and then we’ll prepare for the Blue Diamond lead-up races.”
Brown said Pam Angel was an unknown quantity on debut in wet conditions but did everything right in the ground.
He did not plan to lead but added Palm Angel was happy to roll along in front.
“She just took me everywhere, not many two-year-olds do that,” he said.
“She’ll be better again on top of it so she’s an exciting filly going forward.”
The Ciaron Maher-trained Wiltshire Square ($15) made an encouraging start to her career when chasing the winner gamely over the last 200m to get within three-quarters of a length on the line.
Point Barrow ($7), from the Anthony and Sam Freedman camp, raced greenly under pressure in the last 150m but caught the eye with his strong finish for third.
Originally published as 2024 Merson Cooper Stakes: Jason Warren may aim winner Palm Angel at 2025 Blue Diamond Stakes
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