The toughness and competitiveness of Ellsberg that came through at the end of his Epsom win was there again in his Five Diamonds victory at Rosehill on Saturday.
The Spill The Beans entire has won $2.3 million in his past three wins to be one of the stars of the Sydney spring, but the final 200m of the inaugural $2 million Five Diamonds showed what he was all about as he broke Intergaze’s 1800m track record from 1997.
Ellsberg holds off Sibaaq (right) in a driving finish to the inaugural running of the Five Diamonds at Rosehill.Credit:Getty
After leading at a good tempo, Ellsberg ($3.30 fav) felt the pinch and lugged out towards Sibaaq ($16), which was challenging. Ellsberg eyeballed him, straightened and refused to lose. The margin was only a short head at post, but he was never going to get beaten, with Laws Of Indices ($3.80) 1 lengths back in third.
“He went through the pain barrier today,” co-trainer Gerald Ryan said. “He is just that tough.
“We always thought he would get the 1800m, and he has done it very well today. It was the kind of win that makes you very proud. He is at a different level now, and with every win he is getting better. He will have to improve again in the autumn because he will be racing at weight-for-age. But he still has room to keep improving.”
The instructions to Tommy Berry had been to get into a good rhythm and let Ellsberg slide from the 600m. The plan had to change when Ayrton assured a quicker tempo to the turn, where he was beaten off by the winner.
Berry, who won the VRC Oaks on She’s Extreme on Thursday, had kept something in the tank and was able to kick down another gear when Sibaaq loomed to beat him into the final 200m.
“I had it won after a furlong. He got into such a lovely rhythm for me. He quickened at the right time,” Berry said.
“I thought I’d try to get a few of them off the bit. The only thing I was worried about was how firm the track was. On the way to the barrier he was hitting the ground so hard, I was a little worried. He didn’t feel as comfortable as he did last Saturday when I galloped him on the grass with a bit of juice in it. It just shows how tough he is. I could have gone another furlong and held that second horse off. The 1800m is probably not his trip, but his quality got him over the line.”
Wins on Either Oar and I Am Me made it a treble of Berry.
Leading apprentice Dylan Gibbons had ridden Sibaaq perfectly but just found one better. “Deserved to win. That hurts a bit,” said Gibbons after banking the biggest cheque of $380,000 second place.
Laws Of Indices gave trainer Annabel Neasham the minor placegetters in the Five Diamonds.
