Diamond Fields showed her class to down a top class field in the G3 Gladness Stakes over 1400m at Naas on Sunday.
Trained by Fozzy Stack, the four-year-old daughter of Fastnet Rock produced a fine turn of foot to down triple G1 winner, and 6/4 favourite, Alice Springs, by half a length. Former G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas third, Blue De Vega, was another half length away in third, while multiple G1 winner Gordon Lord Byron finished last in the five horse field.
It was a first group victory for Diamond Fields, who has now won twice and established herself as an exciting future stud prospect with this impressive group race success.
The winning trainer was ecstatic with the filly’s win, saying, “He gave her a very good ride as she doesn’t kill herself when she gets to the front.
“She was a little bit unlucky last year in the Sandringham at Royal Ascot and in America the saddle slipped one day.
“She also finished third in a Grade Two at Saratoga. It lashed rain beforehand and the ground was very slippy. She ran well at Belmont on her last start behind a very smart filly, and probably didn’t just get the nine furlongs that day.
“She’s smart and may come back here for the Athasi, and then maybe Ascot, although there is another race back in New York around that time so we’ll have to see where we go.
“I’m very pleased for the owner Mary Slack. It’s the biggest winner she has had in Ireland or England. She is a good supporter of the yard and has a stud farm down in South Africa, so I’m sure she will breed off her at some stage.”
Diamond Fields, runner up previously in the G2 Sands Point Stakes over 1800m at Belmont Park, was bought by Form Bloodstock for €55 000 at the 2014 Goffs Orby Sale.
A daughter of multiple champion sire Fastnet Rock, Diamond Fields is out of the stakes placed Shamardal mare Question Times –a half-sister to G1 Cheveley Park Stakes runner up Sunday Times.