Confidence abounds from Wayne Hawkes that Blue Diamond winner Devil Night will be a formidable contender in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) scheduled for Saturday.
This Extreme Choice-sired colt rocketed to fame as just the second after Redoute’s Choice to conquer the Blue Diamond on his sophomore start, but has drawn blanks in seven races thereafter.
Hawkes, in partnership with father John and sibling Michael, calls the colt laidback yet thoroughly professional. Devil Night has delivered strong results this campaign, grabbing third at $81 in the William Reid Stakes behind Jigsaw, then testing leading filly Tempted during the Arrowfield Sprint last time out.
“He’s going super,” Hawkes said.
“His form looks pretty good. We were tossing between coming to The Goodwood or going to Queensland for the 10,000, because he was already in Sydney we didn’t want to bring him all the way to Adelaide.
When he ran third in the William Reid everyone went ‘oh, he’s going well’ and he was always going well, he’s just never had much luck and that form has stood up very well.
Then running second to Tempted and everyone’s going, gee this is fair form.”
An $8 prospect in Doomben 10,000 markets behind favourite Jimmysstar at $2.80, success in this elite open-age Group One carries immense value for Yulong’s colt, whom the stable has long planned for here.
“He’s just been poking along in Sydney, he’s the best colt. He’s got one of the best attitudes in a colt I’ve ever had,” Hawkes said
“We have set him for this race, we’ve always had this race in the back of our minds so it’s not an afterthought.
Even if some of the races aren’t as strong as others, afterthoughts, most times you don’t win.”
The Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot has had her Royal Ascot intentions scrapped due to a stingray sting at the beach on Tuesday, barring her from Saturday and sparking concerns over her path forward.
Second favourite Napoleonic now needs only one additional defection to join the field of 16, with Devil Night allocated post eight and Ben Melham to partner.
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