Racing: More facets to juvenile will be shown next season

The Diamond Duke (outer) beats Macavity (centre) and Ab O'Reilly in the Legends Fellowship 2YO yesterday. Photo / Supplied

Part-owner Alison Ritchie just managed by seconds to get her bet on Ellerslie debut winner The Diamond Duke yesterday.

And it wasn't at Ellerslie.

The useful investment she placed on the impressive juvenile was at The Clubhouse at the Cambridge Harness Raceway.

"I didn't get to Ellerslie because I don't like taking our 17-month daughter Delta to the races, so I stayed home."

The useful bet helped ease the disappointment at not being on course to see The Diamond Duke get home in a very competitive field.

"I managed to get to The Clubhouse to have a bet when only two horses were left to load into the barriers."

Husband Shaune Ritchie took the advice of father Frank when he bought The Diamond Duke from The Oaks Stud for $90,000 at last year's Karaka Sales.

The Diamond Duke is by The Oaks Stud's impressive sire Bachelor Duke from a half sister to Diamond Deck, a brilliant filly whose career was tragically cut short through leg problems for the stud.

"He was the best yearling I saw at all the parades last season," said Frank Ritchie.

The impressive element of The Diamond Duke is his temperament.

He stood quietly when Michael Walker waited to be loaded into the barriers yesterday and raced like a veteran throughout, sitting one place out and one back.

Walker having to push him forward early to prevent from staying three wide in midfield did not bother the first starter.

"He's just so relaxed," said Shaune Ritchie. "You can do anything with him and he doesn't worry."

Alison Ritchie owns a third share with Bradbury Bloodstock, whose principals are Kennic Lui and Queenstown-based Wayne Chui.

It got better later in the day - Alison Ritchie again won as an owner when Nightime Jockey, a stayer with real potential, finished strongly in a R80, 2200m in Race 9.

Shaune Ritchie is particularly excited about The Diamond Duke.

"We haven't put the blinkers on him and when we do he's going to find five lengths," he said.

"Michael Walker said the race today was 1200m, but it was 1200m too short for him."

The Diamond Duke is now to be spelled with the Riccarton carnival in November as his main target.

The Oaks Stud featured in the other juvenile race on the programme, won by impressive filly She's Progressive.

She's Progressive, by Keeninsky, is co-owned by Alan Peard, who rode the sire in his major wins. It resulted in his owning a half share in yesterday's winner with trainer Bruce Wallace.

Peard engaged Craig Grylls yesterday and the race was won when the filly dashed two lengths clear out of the barriers.