Jockey Jamie Mott is confident he is on the “right horse” for this weekend’s Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m).
The 33-year-old partners with Julius Sandhu’s impressive colt Lofty Strike in the $1.5 million two-year-old showpiece at Caulfield on Saturday.
Lofty Strike is two from two in his career to date, overpowering his rivals at Flemington in January before a dominant performance in the Colts & Geldings Prelude a fortnight ago.
Mott, who is chasing an elusive Group 1 victory, believes this is the horse to break his duck at the elite level.
“I think he’s really come on from his last win,” he said on SEN Track’s Bensley.
“We’re going in very confident that he’s 100 per cent. I think he’s the right horse for the race, for sure.
“He’s got a wise brain on him. It seems like he’s been around before.
“Everything that I’ve done with him so far he’s very push-button, he’s very versatile in a race, you can ride him forward and back. As long as you’ve got room when you need to build.
“He was really impressive the other day. I think he’s going to be even better out to 1200 (metres).
“He profiles really well for this race.”
While Mott concedes there is little between the field of youngsters, including Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr’s race favourite Jacquinot, he believes the son of Snitzel is talented enough to get the job done.
“There isn’t much (between them all), but my horse definitely had the edge on them the other day,” he added.
“I know Jacquinot was a little unlucky and he seems like he’s a horse that can and probably will do a few things wrong in the race.
“I know my bloke will do everything that he needs to and let’s just hope he’s good enough on Saturday.
“This is probably the best chance I’ve had to win a Group 1 and I think he’s the right horse to do it.”
Trainer Wayne Hawkes, along with brother Michael and father John, saddle up two runners - Sebonack and Semillion - in the Blue Diamond.
But even he believes Sandhu and Mott will combine to claim the juvenile feature.
“I think it’s the one to beat, I really, really do,” Hawkes said on SEN’s Whateley.
“Julius Sandhu trains the horse and the horse has done everything right. Truth is, if I was training it it’d be 6-4 favourite. If it was a two-year-old trainer that has a reputation for training two-year-old winners, because Julius doesn’t because he hasn’t had the opportunity to.
“Come Saturday night I might have to retract that and I’m not potting Julius one bit, but if it was a James Cummings, Ciaron Maher or Peter Snowden, it’d be a 6-4 favourite and probably going around and nearly just winning.
“It’s big odds and I don’t know that Jacquinot deserves to be the favourite that it is and I think Julius Sandhu’s horse is the one to beat, there’s no doubt about that.”
Lofty Strike, who has drawn barrier 13, is currently rated the $6 second favourite with Sportsbet, behind Jacquinot ($5) and ahead of Sebonack ($7.5) and Revolutionary Miss ($8).
2022 Blue Diamond Stakes field
- Semillion (16) - M,W&J.Hawkes - TBC
- Lofty Strike (13) - J.Sandhu - Jamie Mott
- Daumier (5) - A&S.Freedman - Mark Zahra
- Sebonack (8) - M,W&J.Hawkes - TBC
- Counttheheadlights (7) - C.Maher & D.Eustace - Ben Allen
- Jacquinot (10) - M.Price & M.Kent Jnr - Damian Lane
- Rampant Lion (6) - P.Moody - Kerrin McEvoy
- Merchant Prince (12) - P.Moody - Luke Nolen
- Flashing Steel (2) - A.Neasham - Brodie Loy
- Hafey (14) - C.Maher & D.Eustace - Craig Williams
- Revolutionary Miss (11) - P&P.Snowden - Jamie Kah
- Miss Roseiano (9) - P.Gelagotis - Jordan Childs
- Kiki Express (3) - M.Ellerton - Damien Thornton
- English Riviera (4) - T&C.McEvoy - John Allen
- Waltz On By (1) - P.Moody - Blaike McDougall
- Seven Sisters (15) - J.Cummings - Fred Kersley