Alwyn Park sire Maschino sent his season earnings through $4 million on Saturday when lightly-tried mare Diamonds’n’rubies won the $100,000 Westspeed Platinum Winter Series Final (1400m) at Belmont.
The Mitch Pateman trained front-runner led at every call and pinched a break in the straight to score by a half-length from Right To Silence (Universal Ruler) with Get Out Mick (Demerit) a similar margin away in third position.
Diamonds’n’rubies (4m Maschino – Brittella by War Pass) had won a Northam maiden as a winter 3yo and her second campaign this season has seen an upward curve with a first-up victory in the Western Racepix Hcp (1200m) at York last month before the breakthrough in town yesterday.
Pateman confirmed the mare had to be treated with kid gloves hence a lightly-tried 12-start career. “We’ve always rated her highly but runs have to be spaced. She’s not a real good doer at home and lost her way last prep. It’s taken time to get a handle on what suits her and I’m sure she will be competitive in better races.”
Diamonds’n’rubies is a homebred for Ross Waddell and his current runners include My Authoritah (Playing God) who completed a running double for Dan Morton at Belmont earlier this season. He also enjoyed a winning association with former south-west trainer Justin Warwick.
Waddell has her unraced 2yo full-sister by Maschino. Their dam Brittella won at Toodyay, Narrogin and Norseman and she delivered another Maschino filly in August 2025.
“I told Ross about a month ago to give Diamonds’n’rubies time off and she could win the Winter Series Final,” Pateman revealed. “He was happy to back me in and it’s paid off.”
Winning jockey Holly Watson said the victory was set up after the mare crossed from a sticky gate. “She came in with a light weight (55kg) today and Mitchell told me to find the fence and she ran the 1400m right out fresh.”
Pateman and Watson combined earlier on Saturday to win with heavily-supported Farnova (Farnan) in the Swan Draught Plate (1000m). The speedy 2yo filly was run down at her first two starts this prep but a change of tactics paid off when she came from the back half of the field to win by two lengths.
Maschino had won the first-leg of a Belmont double on Saturday when Charino ran down front-runner Norich (Demerit) in the Mrs Mac’s Hcp (1200m). The Brett Pope-trained sprinter was completing a double of his own following a two-length victory at Belmont on June 6.
Charino (4g Maschino – Chabelle by High Chaparral) is raced by Charlie and Nola Marino and had scored an upset victory in the highly-rated $100,000 Max Simmonds Stakes (1000m) at Ascot as a spring 3yo. He also saluted on the big occasion in the $125,000 Thoroughbred Breeders Australia Trophy (1200m) in December.
Bred by Michael Morton, his earnings have reached $390,000 including Westspeed bonuses of $111,000. Morton also has his yearling colt by Splintex that was withdrawn from this year’s Perth Magic Millions Sale.
Maschino (Encosta de Lago) will stand for $13,750 (inc GST) this year alongside Minsk Moment (I Am Invincible) who will be covering his first commercial book at a $5,500 (inc GST) service fee.