Juvenile filly Platinum Diamond shines in season’s last black-type race

Platinum Diamond cut the corner to win the Ryder Stakes at Ōtaki. Photo / Peter Rubery

Talented juvenile filly Platinum Diamond made all posts a winner when she captured her second consecutive stakes victory in the last black-type feature of the 2024-25 racing season, the Listed Phils Electrical & Gypsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Ōtaki.

The Lisa Latta-trained daughter of Cambridge Stud shuttle stallion Hello Youmzain had scored handsomely in the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) at the venue last month with Bruno Queiroz in the saddle, and the visiting Brazilian jockey made it three victories from three rides on the filly with another well-judged effort yesterday.

Queiroz had the filly settled nicely in midfield against the running rail early on before improving to sit just behind the pacemaker Spandeedo approaching the home turn.

There was plenty of jostling between Spandeedo and several runners on his outer at that point, but Queiroz kept his mount hard against the fence to avoid any interference as Platinum Diamond cornered brilliantly and shot clear.

Despite being hotly challenged in the closing stages by Luminance and Latta’s second runner Brutiful Lass, Platinum Diamond was too tough as she held a margin of just on a length over her rivals at the winning post.

“I was a little bit worried when there was a kerfuffle turning in but I think hard against the rail is as good as getting out wide,” Latta said.

“Bruno got her in a good part of the track and that helped. She has a summer-type coat already but she keeps herself well and she is very exciting.

“I don’t think she is just a wet tracker so we’re going to give her two or three weeks as a freshener and she is going to the paddock at a good time.”

Queiroz was impressed with how his mount had performed.

“She is a very, very good horse and such a lovely type,” he said.

“I was very confident as she travelled well and in the last 600m she came through on the inside and was very happy to be there.”

Lisa Latta Racing Stables paid $90,000 to buy Platinum Diamond from breeders Beaufort Downs during the Book 2 Sale at Karaka last year. The filly has now had four starts for three wins and $112,975 in stakes.

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk