Diddle Dumpling poised for Magic Millions litmus test

It took Diddle Dumpling nine starts to break her maiden, but with the form out of that race stacking up, trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou are optimistic she can go on with the job.

The three-year-old started a short-priced favourite when she comfortably accounted for her eight rivals to score at Hawkesbury last month.

While two of the horses who finished behind her haven’t raced since, four of the remaining six have won at their subsequent start.

“It’s quite amazing, the maiden she won where she started a $1.25 favourite at Hawkesbury, there have been several horses who finished behind her that have come out and won,” co-trainer Gerald Ryan said.

“The whole idea is to try to get her through to the Magic Millions.

“There are three races for her, the fillies and mares class four, the fillies and mares race and the three-year-old race.

“We will see how she goes on Saturday and go from there.”

Diddle Dumpling will line up in the Petaluma Handicap (1300m) at Randwick on Saturday where she has drawn barrier nine with Zac Lloyd booked to ride.

She is one of six last start winners in the race, which is headed by Tulloch Lodge three-year-old Dawn Service, a son of former top mare Sunlight who was a Listed winner at Flemington during the spring.

While Diddle Dumpling took time to break her maiden, she has always shown above average ability, finishing fifth to Manaal in the Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) and filling the same position behind Eneeza in the Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) during the autumn.

Saturday’s assignment will be her first in almost six weeks, but she has been kept up to the mark with a recent Rosehill barrier trial placing.