Delago's Lad burst into calculations for the $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes with an unexpected win at Sandown on Saturday.The John McArdle stable had believed the Delago Brom colt to be more of a VRC Sires' Produce Stakes-type than a Blue Diamond horse and thought he would be running on strongly without necessarily winning.A decision on a Blue Diamond run hinges on how he performs next start in the $250,000 Inglis Premier (1200m) at Mornington on February 16.Sent out at $5.50, Delago's Lad frank

Delago's Lad burst into calculations for the $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes with an unexpected win at Sandown on Saturday.

The John McArdle stable had believed the Delago Brom colt to be more of a VRC Sires' Produce Stakes-type than a Blue Diamond horse and thought he would be running on strongly without necessarily winning.

A decision on a Blue Diamond run hinges on how he performs next start in the $250,000 Inglis Premier (1200m) at Mornington on February 16.

Sent out at $5.50, Delago's Lad franked the form of the Blue Diamond favourite Sepoy when he took out the Routley's Plate (1000m) with a powerful finishing burst.

Delago's Lad finished runner-up to Sepoy in the Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on October 3 before both colts were spelled.

Sepoy resumed with an impressive win in the Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) for colts and geldings at Caulfield last Wednesday.

"The form stacks up obviously through Sepoy. The form behind him was a bit average and there was a question mark today and who knows what the first starters were going to produce," McArdle's business partner Brent Clayton said.

"But our bloke's professional in what he does and he's done it again today."

Chris Symons weaved a passage through near the inside on Delago's Lad to go out after first starter Soul Mama ($8) and score by a length from that filly with Amour Cache ($31), another debutante, running on nicely out wide to be a half-neck back third.

"In all honesty I don't think I got the best out of him today," Symons said.

"I've found it hard to get a guide on him because he only does what he has to. He's definitely better ridden off the pace because I rode him on the pace at Flemington.

"I'd like to think he could win a Blue Diamond but I just don't know if we've seen the best of him yet.

"I think that will be a good form race."

Delago's Lad was purchased as a yearling for $70,000 by Red Gum Racing, a partnership formed inJuly 2003 by McArdle and Clayton.

They race the colt with nine other individuals and syndicates including the two-year-old's breeder Ross Holburt and his brother Brett who together run the Slickpix racing photos business.

Connections have backed Delago's Lad at as much as $126 for the $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 26.

He is now fourth pick at $11 with TAB Sportsbet behind the Peter Snowden-trained Sepoy ($4.50 fav), fillies Preview winner One Last Dance at $7 and fillies Preview runner-up Anevay at $10.