DECEMBER DIAMOND SPARKLES WITH A SECOND SUCCESSIVE VICTORY FROM ONLY THREE STARTS

By Graham Potter | Sunday, August 1, 2021

There is nothing quite like kicking off a new campaign with a winner on the opening day of the season and that is exactly what the Paul Jenkins stable did at the Sunshine Coast on August 1 when December Diamond saluted in a Class 1 Plate over 1400m.

Even more satisfying was the fact that December Diamond was making it back-to-back wins after shedding her Maiden ticket over 1200m at the same track back on July 18.

On both occasions the daughter of All Too Hard was well handled by jockey Jimmy Orman.
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In the Maiden, after jumping well, Orman allowed the $1.75 favourite Spirit Of Romance to take up the running and he settled December Diamond ($5.50) in third spot, on the rail two lengths off the leader in the five horse field.

December Diamond held that position until turning into the home straight where she didn’t deviate from her inside run, with Orman urging her to go after Spirit Of Romance and the hard charging Te Jina Rose, the $3.60 second favourite.

That was initially easier said than done as Te Jina Rose moved up to join Spirit Of Ramance at the head of affairs to join in a spirited stride for stride battle … but December Diamond was up for the challenge and she kept coming … and coming.

Inside the final 50m it was three horses in a line, but December Diamond now had both the momentum and the will to win and she forged into a narrow lead in the final few strides to claim her maiden win to ensure that she was a winner as a three-year-old, a fine outcome considering this was only her second career start.
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In the Class 1 Plate December Diamond ($4.40), who was stepping up in both class and distance (from 1200m to 1400m), again jumped well.

Caught three wide on the speed early, this time Orman did not go back but instead guided December Diamond forward at a steady gallop and the Jenkins runner had the lead after the field had gone 350m.

December Diamond was still racing wide though and it took another 150m for her to find the fence. Once there she controlled the pace to her advantage at a relaxed gallop to the home turn where she cornered in front by a length.

Several runners looked to have the chance to take December Diamond down, but she kicked with meaning in the straight, backing her ability with plenty of grit, and, although Perfect Impression ($4) was making ground up slowly on the line, December Diamond was simply not going to be denied and her second (successive) win was safely in the record books.

The second placed Prefect Impression would again finish in the placings in her next start while Irish Ace, who finished third here, won next time out in the same class.

Both of those subsequent results by the horses who placed behind December Diamond in her Class 1 win franked her effort there and put her second win in a very positive light.

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