12 Sep 2019Queen of Diamonds, the noted daughter of Cambridge Stud broodmare Love Diamonds, was awarded the Joint NZB Filly of the Year for 2018/19 at last Sunday’s New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Awards.
The talented Savabeel filly secured the equal top billing following wins in the Gr.2 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes (2100m) and Gr.3 Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes (1550m) and she was also placed in the Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic (1600m) and Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic (2000m).
Trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, Queen of Diamonds commenced her 4YO season with a trial at Cambridge recently.
“She’s coming up very well. We couldn’t be any happier with how she has returned to the stable as a four-year-old,” said Andrew Forsman today.
“She showed us she was up to it last season, so we will be working towards the Gr.1 Rydges Wellington Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Trentham on December 7th with her.
“In the meantime, we might give her another trial at Cambridge and she could resume in the Gr.3 Rich Hill Stud Taranaki Breeders Stakes (1400m) at Hawera on the 12th of October.”
Bred by Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan, Queen of Diamonds was a $640,000 graduate of the 2017 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, successfully purchased from Cambridge Stud’s draft on this occasion by the China Horse Club.
Queen of Diamonds’ regally bred dam Love Diamonds is due to foal to Almanzor in the next month. All going to plan, she will visit Embellish in 2019. This mating will result in a ¾ sibling to Queen of Diamonds.
Cambridge Stud has retained the Tavistock filly that Love Diamonds produced in 2018.