The inaugural Five Diamonds will have at least one Northern Hemisphere-bred runner in the field with French entire Longvillers being prepared for Sydney.
OTI Racing last month bought into the Northern Hemisphere four-year-old who is raced by Gerard Augustin-Normand.
Dual Arc-winning trainer John Hammond is racing manager for Augustin-Normand, who remains co-owner of Longvillers, and acts as OTI’s European representative.
The new ownership group didn’t enjoy good fortune for their first start together last weekend as Longvillers ($5.40) performed below market expectations finishing last of six in the €80,000 Prix Quincey (1600m) won by Tempus at Deauville on Sunday.
“He lost both front shoes early in the race and on that hard track he jarred up,” OTI Racing’s managing director Terry Henderson told Racing.com.
“Progeny by Le Havre generally like the sting out of the ground. The result doesn’t change anything, he remains on track for Sydney.”
Longvillers has raced 14 times for three wins and seven minor placings for Deauville-based trainer Yann Barberot, notching three Stakes placings all within the past 12 months from 1600 to 1800 metres.
Chris Waller will take over the training of Longvillers ahead of the $2 million Five Diamonds (1800m) at Rosehill on November 5, with the race restricted to locally bred five-year-olds or Northern Hemisphere bred four-year-olds.
Auteur d’une bonne rentrée à Compiègne, LONGVILLERS (Le Havre) s’est imposé dans le Prix Carvin (Classe 2) à Saint-Cloud en faisant parler ses aptitudes aux pistes profondes. Ce représentant de G. Augustin-Normand est entraîné par @Yannbarberot. @GregoryBenoist1
— Jour de Galop (@Jour_de_Galop) April 8, 2022
📸@ScoopDyga pic.twitter.com/Er3gCxuG80
The above is an exert of Carl Di Iorio‘s Racing.com article, which can be read in full here.
