Group 1 hope back in style

The Richard Didham-trained Diablo Blanco took her first steps toward an elite level spring
target with an effortless resuming victory at Oamaru on Sunday.

The daughter of Waikato Stud’s leading first season sire Super Seth returned over 1200
metres on a heavy track and her class shone through with rider Ashvin Goindasamy having
an easy time aboard the hot favourite.

“Ashvin said she was cruising all the way, so I’m very pleased with how she’s hit the line and
pulled up,” Didham said.

“For a two-year-old, she acts like she’s four or five. She’s great to handle and has no bad
traits at all.”

Diablo Blanco sat outside the leader to the turn and then asserted her superiority with a
minimum of urging. Third home was the Waikato Stud-bred and raced debutante Pretending,
also by Super Seth.

“The target has to be the 1000 Guineas, especially on her form so far,” he said.

Diablo Blanco had four starts for a win and a placing before she was spelled following her effort for
fourth in the G2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham in December.

“She was awesome earlier this season, she even trekked all the way to Wellington and courageously
ran fourth up there,” Didham said.

“She had a long campaign, so she has had a decent spell and hopefully she is in for another long
campaign because there are a lot of good three-year-old races coming up.”

Diablo Blanco is part-owned by co-breeder Tony Rider and is out of the No Excuse Needed mare
Phoebe Snow, who has a rising juvenile sister to Super Seth.

Phoebe Snow is a half-sister to the G1 Makfi Challenge Stakes winner I Do and the family of the G2
Tauranga Stakes and G1 Livamol Classic runner-up Justaskme.