CIARON Maher is hoping to add more group one winners to his impressive training resume at Caulfield on Saturday.
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The Winslow-raised Maher trained Jameka to win the 2016 Caulfield Cup saddles up Loving Gaby and Bella Rosa in Victoria’s feature two-year-old race, the $1.5 million Blue Diamond Stakes, and Bons Away in the group one $500,000 Oakleigh Plate.
“Loving Gaby and Bella Rossa are two fit runners going into the Blue Diamond,” he said. “The Blue Diamond is a race I want to win.
"The Caulfield Cup win of Jameka was very special for lots of reasons one of those reasons was we have our main stable at Caulfield.
"It would be a great result if either Loving Gaby or Bella Rossa could win the Diamond. I’m quietly confident both my horses will run well.
"I would have been more confident if they had drawn better barriers but there’s nothing we can do about the barriers. I can only present the horses to the races in peak condition and I can’t fault their condition.”
Loving Gaby, who won her debut run on February 2, is rated a $6 chance to win the 1200-metre race. While bookmakers are offering $26 about Bella Rosa’s hopes for Maher and his training partner David Eustace.
Bons Away, a first up winner at Caulfield on February 2, has drawn a wide barrier in the Oakleigh Plate.
“He’s been a very consistent horse,” Maher said. “The outside barrier is not ideal but I’m happy with how Bons Away has worked since his first up victory.”
Bookmakers have installed Bons Away as a $26 chance in the speed test over 1100m.
The Maher-Eustace stable have numerous other runners at the big meeting, while fellow Warrnambool trainers Daniel Bowman and Simon Ryan have runners.
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