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Clarken Racing | Clarken Racing News 57788 Clarken Blown Away By His Blue Diamond Filly

Clarken ‘blown away' by his Blue Diamond filly

Clarken ‘blown away' by his Blue Diamond filly

Blue Diamond contender Kuroyanagi is doing things Will Clarken has never seen before.

The Group 1-winning trainer is astounded by the physical development of the talented filly and her appetite for work, confident she's going to run a big race in Saturday's $2m feature at Caulfield.

Clarken has been open about the fact he's been searching for an excuse to tip Kuroyanagi out, convinced she's going to be even better as a three-year-old, but she's just thriving.

"It's amazing. Me and (co-trainer) Niki (O'Shea) are just blown away by what she's done," Clarken said.

"I could send people a video of her first gallop this prep and you'd just think it was a different horse. The way she's improved and the way she can handle pressure in a preparation is phenomenal.

"I've never had a juvenile who has strengthened and developed in work. Week-to-week she's getting bigger and stronger and more durable. She's a ferocious doer and nothing fazes her.

"I haven't dealt with a lot of really good young horses like this but she's just obviously got a great constitution."

Kuroyanagi first came to prominence in early January when superstar jockey Jamie Kah made a rare visit home to South Australia to ride her to a dominant victory in a jumpout at Murray Bridge.

She went on to win her debut in soft fashion at Gawler before an agonising second across the border in the Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude for fillies earlier this month.

"She's just come home and thrived. I haven't had one travel back and handle it so well for a long time," Clarken said.

"That was our main concern as it was the first trip away for a young horse but she's put on weight, she's really above herself and he work has been terrific – we've been able to get two good gallops into her."

With Kah and Blake Shinn, who partnered Kuroyanagi in the Prelude, opting to go elsewhere, Clarken was left searching for a suitable rider and he was watching a recent Sha Tin meeting when it hit him that Brenton Avdulla would be perfect.

"I like to keep an eye on Hong Kong racing because we've got a small pool of horses over there now and he's riding so well," he said.

"I was going through options, I asked a couple of Sydney guys and they had rides up there, so I said to (racing manager) Lachie (Weekley) ‘why don't you ask (Avdulla)'?

"We watched him ride a double at the Chinese New Year meeting and I thought ‘imagine getting him on, it'd be awesome'."

Kuroyanagi is rated an $18 hope with the TAB and Clarken thinks that presents good value.

"The gate (two) to me is not ideal, I would've liked to have drawn out a little bit, but we've got the gun riding her, so that will help," he said

"If she gets a little luck in running, I think she's a genuine each-way chance.

"It's hard to say that going into big Group 1s but she has trained on remarkably well."

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