Dais hopes for ratings boost from The Cullinan

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Bryan Dais’ hopes of chasing a lucrative payday with The Cullinan on Queensland Jewel day next month could hinge on the gelding’s performance at Ipswich on Wednesday.

The Cullinan steps out for the third time this campaign in a Class 2 Handicap over 1350 metres and needs a win to lift his rating ahead of Dais’ plans to start him in a Benchmark 75 Handicap for QTIS-registered horses at the Gold Coast on March 19.

“The QTIS races on Jewel day are worth a lot of money and is like winning a Listed race,” Dais said.

“But he’s got to get there first and he needs to lift his rating in either this race or in his next one of two starts.”

Dais is pleased with The Cullinan’s progress this campaign and has retained Boris Thornton to ride the four-year-old.

The Cullinan ran fifth when resuming in a Class 3 race on a heavy track at the Sunshine Coast on January 7 before a last start fifth to Renouf in a Benchmark race at the Sunshine Coast on January 29.

“His first up run was good considering it was a Heavy 9 and it’s been a good form race behind The Lioness and Wolf Moon,” Dais said.

“He then ran second to Renouf on a genuine Soft 7 which was another good run.

“He loomed up as the winner at the 200 metres but he needs a firm track to do his best.

“This is a big drop in grade to a Class 2 so hopefully he’ll go well.”

Dais has no plans to target the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival with The Cullinan despite sending him to Sydney last year as a three-year-old.

“I was getting him ready for the Australian Derby but the carnival was pushed back a week after they had a lot of rain,” he said.

“He ran in the (Group 1) Rosehill Guineas instead but he wasn’t up to it.

“He drew barrier one but no-one wanted to be drawn on the inside and he was out of his depth.

“It was a good day out though but very expensive.”

The Cullinan returned to Brisbane after the Rosehill Guineas and was freshened up for the Listed Daybreak Lover at Eagle Farm last April.

“I gave him a freshen up for the Daybreak Lover but he had had enough and needed a good spell,” Dais said.

Dais bred The Cullinan and named the son of Benfica after the world’s largest diamond - the Cullinan Diamond – which was discovered in South Africa in 1905.

The Cullinan has some of Queensland’s famous breeding lines and is closely related to Queensland’s former champion filly Just Now who claimed the 1986 Australian Oaks at Randwick.

“I named him The Cullinan after the big diamond find because he’s got Eight Carat on both sides of his pedigree,” Dais said.

Eight Carat was one of the greatest broodmares ever produced in New Zealand and is the mother of multiple Group 1 winners Octagonal and Mouawad.

“He’s also closely related to Just Now and the famous Darling Downs broodmares Tautina and Telltina,” Dais said.