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O'Connor confident of Diva hat-trick

Trainer Dan O’Connor is confident Chino La Diva is going to run a big race and extend her winning sequence at Ascot on Wednesday.

Ascot racecourse.
Ascot racecourse. Picture: Getty Images

Dan O’Connor has played the waiting game with Chino La Diva but time and patience is proving a successful combination for the mare.

It took Chino La Diva 14 starts before she cracked her maiden and after scoring at Bunbury, she made it two in a row at Pinjarra.

O'Connor says Chino La Diva is starting to learn her craft and he's confident a winning hat trick in the Quayclean Handicap (1200m) is within her reach.

"We worked her at Ascot on Saturday and it was awesome piece of work," said O'Connor to Racing WA.

"She's as good as I can get her, and she is probably even better than what she was last time.

"She has a high cruising speed and a lovely massive, big stride. It's very impressive.

"I'm expecting a real big run and looking at the field I reckon she'll take a fair bit of beating."

Chino La Diva, a $27,500 Perth Magic Millions graduate, has shown versatility in her two wins.

At Bunbury she led from barrier to post, in contrast to her Pinjarra victory when she came from second last with big strides down the middle of the track.

O'Connor says he doesn't anticipate Chino La Diva having to come from the back of the field on Wednesday after drawing barrier one for jockey, Chris Nicoll.

"From the barrier we can dictate the pace," O'Connor said.

"I definitely would think we lead and take any bad luck out of the equation."

Although she was late to the winner's enclosure, O'Connor knew he had a nice horse to work with after her third race start at Northam last June.

The daughter of Maschino finished 2 ½ lengths third to Petrouchka, who progressed to win the Belmont Oaks (2000m) and placed second in the Belmont Guineas (1600m) and Belmont Classic (2200m) for top trainers Grant and Alana Williams.

"She's been a difficult horse to get to the races, we've had to work her at home, and she's just taken time, typical Maschino, mentally and physically," O'Connor said.

"Early doors I thought I had her when she was third behind Grant and Alana's horse that won the Belmont Oaks.

"I really thought she was a decent horse then, but she was still doing a lot of things wrong.

"I was looking at the Guineas myself, but we couldn't get her to settle well enough to get the trip.

"She was one of those that we've had to keep her sprinting for longer than we needed to.

"She's going to obviously step up to 1400m at some stage or even 1600m even but is doing good work over 1200m."

In a small field of seven, Chino La Diva is $11 with Tabtouch. Heading the market is Sunlit Fresco at $2.05, coming out of Listed company in the Summer Scorcher (1000m).

Housewife, from the red-hot Williams team is $2.45.