After breaking her maiden at her previous start in the fillies division of the Group III Blue Diamond Preview, became the first filly in nine years to add the $300,000 Group II Sportsbet Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield.
Ridden by Jamie Kah for Clinton McDonald, the daughter of Royal Meeting (IRE) wobbled around the turn before knuckling down to claim the Written Tycoon filly Kuroyanagi in the final stride.
The Microphone filly Matisse finished resolutely for third ahead of the Pierata filly Tobeornottobe.
Kuroyanagi had won on debut at Gawler, and Matisse finished third behind Hayasugi and Tobeornottobe in the Preview.
Hayasugi was a $47,500 purchase for James Bester Bloodstock / C Mok from the Fairhill Farm draft at the 2022 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale.
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“She’s one of those fillies that’s just tough,” McDonald said.
“She cops anything you throw at her, and you saw today she had that horse on her inside pushing her off the track, and she was good enough to balance up and find the line. I thought there was a lot of credit to the win, and I know there’s still improvement.
“We’ve been pretty soft on her and let her come through naturally, and she’s only had one gallop since her last start, and she’ll tighten up beautifully going to 1200m.
“It was a great ride by Jamie; she was so confident before the race, we all were actually, we just couldn’t believe the price. I thought I must be a mug, but God bless the bookies, and it’s been a good day.
Hayasugi is the third winner from four to race for the unraced Commands mare China Road, a half-sister to Bejewelled (Anabaa), a multiple stakes-placed winner of seven races.
China Road was sold online for just $10,000 in 2017. She has a spotty record of late, but it is not through the want of trying. She missed in 2021 after being covered by Churchill (IRE) and North Pacific). Failed to conceive in 2022 after visits to Royal Meeting (IRE) and Prague, and was served by Jacquinot in November after missing to an earlier cover by Royal Meeting (IRE).
Hayasugi is doing a grand job in furthering the cause of Leneva Park’s handsome Invincible Spirit stallion Royal Meeting (IRE), who won both his starts at two, highlighted by the Group 1 Criterium International (1400m) at Chantilly.
