Innocent Gamble confirms lofty reputation with BD Preview win

IMMATURITY can derail the most carefully planned first-up plunge but at Caulfield yesterday trainer Mark Riley's debutant Innocent Gamble overcame both and confirmed his lofty reputation with an authoritative win in the Blue Diamond Preview for colts and geldings, reports The Age.It says: With the Blue Diamond little more than four weeks away it's not difficult to get a decent spruik about an unraced two-year-old heading towards Victoria's premier juvenile race, but although Riley had given enco

It says: With the Blue Diamond little more than four weeks away it's not difficult to get a decent spruik about an unraced two-year-old heading towards Victoria's premier juvenile race, but although Riley had given encouraging reports about Innocent Gamble before yesterday's race he reserved his biggest compliment for the winner's stall.

"He's the best horse I've ever had," said Riley. "He's run 57 and a half [seconds] here today and is green as grass. He's just got so much more to come."

Riley knows a thing or two about good horses with Gold Salute twice placed at group 1 level during the spring carnival. He also holds a unique record of having won the Oakleigh Plate as a jockey aboard Mistress Anne in 1979, and again as a trainer with Mookta in 1994. And he could be one of few breeder-trainers of a Blue Diamond winner should Innocent Gamble win the $1 million race.

Punters had the opportunity to get a guide on Innocent Gamble's ability when Riley took him to Sale for a trial earlier this month, but until yesterday only those closest to the stable had an inkling of the regard that his trainer has for him.

"The horse has never been any trouble, he's just a real professional. He's always shown us that he was pretty good and he'll improve a lot on this run," Riley said.

"Today was his first day out and he was looking around at everything and that's his biggest problem. He was still too good for them."

After stalking the leaders under a comfortable hold from Damien Oliver, Innocent Gamble ($5) quickly dashed to the front and easily held off Marmaa ($14) and the late closing Pellizotti ($5.50).

"He's still got plenty of improvement left in him and he was always going to be a better three-year-old rather than a two-year-old, but it's too hard to pass up a race like the Diamond when you've got a horse as good as him," Riley said.