Diamond’s day at Otaki

Multiple stakes winner Platinum Diamond showed she was no one trick pony with success on top of the ground at Otaki.

The Lisa Latta-trained daughter of Hello Youmzain produced a late finish to land the open spring over 1400 meters for the fifth victory of her 15-start career.

Platinum Diamond’s four previous wins had been posted on heavy tracks and included Listed triumphs in the Wanganui Guineas, Ryder Stakes and Castletown Stakes.

The now four-year-old was ridden in all three by Bruno Queiroz and under his guidance at Otaki settled back of midfield before improving near the turn and rounded off determinedly in the closing stages.

“It is a bit of a relief to get her back to her best and I think the key is just to keep as much freshness in her legs that we can,” Latta said.

“She went a good race first-up, so I thought she wasn’t too far away, so it’s nice to see her perform like that.

“I don’t have any real plans at this stage, but there are some nice fillies and mares’ races around over the next few months so we can get her home and have a look to see what might suit.”

Platinum Diamond was bred by Beaufort Downs and purchased out of their draft by Latta for $90,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale.

She is a daughter of the Thorn Park mare Spritz who is a half-sister to the dam of the G2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes winner and multiple stakes black type Aotea Lad.

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