Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained boom two-year-old filly Enthaar tightened her grip on favouritism on upcoming major two-year-old races when she glided around to win the $160,000 Chairman's Stakes, 1000m, at Caulfield on Saturday.
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Enthaar was seemingly under a double grip for the entire race by jockey Mark Zahra yet still won by more than two lengths.
She firmed from $3 into $2.10 for the group 1 $1.5m Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield on February 20 and also from $6 into $4.50 for the Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill on March 20.
Maher, who has a major arm of his training empire in Ballarat, said he hoped Enthaar could be the filly to break his Blue Diamond Stakes hoodoo.
"It's a race which has eluded me.
"I suppose the natural precocity of her at such a young age is probably the most obvious and exciting thing and she has such a big frame and can obviously use it."
Maher said Enthaar had a lot of improvement to come as she was a bit soft as she had had one jump-out in the lead up to the race.
MEANWHILE, Ballarat stables continue to rally racing fans in bids to get runners voted into the $5m All-Star Mile at Moonee Valley on March 13.
Cox Plate winner Sire Dragonet leads the charge from the stable of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace in the pursuit of votes.
The import is seventh and closing in 3000 votes.
Mr Quickie, which was voted into the field last year, is sitting 10th.
He is trained by Phillip Stokes at Pakenham, but is raced by a syndicate managed by Ballarat-based syndicator Wylie Dalziel.
Ballarat Cup runner-up Affair To Remember from the Dan O'Sullivan team has slipped out of the top 10, but is still within reach of getting a spot in the rich mile.
The top 10 horses in the public vote are guaranteed a start.
Two of Ballarat's newest additions to its training ranks, Andrew Noblet, and Tony and Calvin McEvoy, each landed winners at Caulfield on Saturday.
Ginger Jones ($6) gave Noblet his fourth city win of the season the Mal Seccull Handicap, 1100m.
Ballarat apprentice jockey Will Price took the ride.
Noblet relocated his stable from Caulfield in March last year.
The McEvoys had their first metropolitan win out of their Ballarat stable with Silent Sovereign ($17) in the Robert Hunter Handicap, 1400m.
They only had their first winner from the Ballarat facility at Geelong on January 15.
