Get ready for a thrilling day of racing as we head back to Caulfield for the prestigious G1 Blue Diamond Stakes, Victoria's richest race for two-year-olds! This event has a storied past, having been conquered by legendary champions like Manikato, Rancher, Zeditave, Redoute’s Choice, and Sepoy.
This year, the dynamic training duo Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are bringing two strong contenders to the Diamond: Guest House and Big Sky. Mick Price, a seasoned winner of this race, has previously claimed the trophy with Samaready in 2012 and Extreme Choice in 2016.
Lindsay Park, aiming for their impressive 11th Blue Diamond victory, is set to field a formidable team of three: Torture, Eurocanto, and the recent Listed Talindert Stakes winner, Hard Kick. There's a slight complication for Hard Kick; if connections wish for him to run, a $55,000 late entry fee is due on Monday, as the gelding wasn't initially nominated. Jacaranda is also in contention to join the field.
Ciaron Maher is eager to secure his first Blue Diamond win, with promising runners Unit Five, the Magic Millions 2YO hero, and Milsons Point poised to compete.
But here's where it gets interesting... Zambales, who put in a strong second-place performance behind Hard Kick last Saturday, is set to back up for the Diamond. This gives Anthony and Sam Freedman a fantastic opportunity to clinch their third win in this race within the last six years, with Anthony also having a solo victory in 2019.
Beyond the Blue Diamond, Saturday's action-packed 10-race program also showcases the electrifying G1 Oakleigh Plate for the sprinters and the G1 Futurity Stakes. In the Futurity Stakes, we'll see the return of the brilliant Treasurethe Moment, who is gearing up for a shot at The All-Star Mile.
Here's a look at the potential contenders for the feature races:
G1 BLUE DIAMOND STAKES (1200m, set weights, 2YO)
- Closer To Free (Trainer: Danny O’Brien / Jockey: Michael Dee)
- Eternal Warrior (Trainer: Lloyd Kennewell / Jockey: Damian Lane)
- Guest House (Trainer: Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr / Jockey: Jamie Melham)
- Chayan (Trainer: Annabel and Rob Archibald / Jockey: Lachlan Neindorf)
- I Am Aria (Trainer: Mark Walker / Jockey: Craig Williams)
- Streisand (Trainer: Clinton McDonald / Jockey: Ben Melham)
- Alibaba (Trainer: Ken and Kasey Keys / Jockey: Craig Newitt)
- Unit Five (Trainer: Ciaron Maher / Jockey: Thomas Stockdale)
- Ghana’s Akan (Trainer: Ciaron Maher)
- Big Sky (Trainer: Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr / Jockey: Jordan Childs)
- Torture (Trainer: Ben, Will and JD Hayes)
- Milsons Point (Trainer: Ciaron Maher / Jockey: Ben Allen)
- Eurocanto (Trainer: Ben, Will and JD Hayes / Jockey: Luke Currie)
- Hard Kick (Trainer: Ben, Will and JD Hayes / Jockey: Zac Purton (to be confirmed))
- Lady Moscato (Trainer: Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott / Jockey: Jye McNeil)
- Zambales (Trainer: Anthony and Sam Freedman / Jockey: Daniel Stackhouse)
Other potential runners include:
* Invincible Son (Trainer: Robbie Griffiths / Jockey: Jamie Mott)
* Stretan Ruler (Trainer: Phillip Stokes / Jockey: Beau Mertens)
* Almost An Angel (Trainer: Robbie Griffiths)
* Tough Romance (Trainer: Tony and Calvin McEvoy)
* Jacaranda (Trainer: Ben, Will and JD Hayes)
G1 OAKLEIGH PLATE (1100m, Open Handicap)
- De Bergerac (Trainer: Grahame Begg)
- Don’t Hope Do (Trainer: Simon Zahra / Jockey: Teo Nugent)
- Gallant Son (Trainer: Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman)
- Geegees Mistruth (Trainer: Mark Walker / Jockey: Michael Dee)
- Hedged (Trainer: Gavin Bedggood / Jockey: Harry Coffey)
- Jedibeel (Trainer: Brad Widdup / Jockey: Damian Lane)
- Oak Hill (Trainer: Ben, Will and JD Hayes)
- Pallaton (Trainer: Michael Freedman)
- Point Barrow (Trainer: Anthony and Sam Freedman / Jockey: Jamie Melham)
- Rosberg (Trainer: Clinton McDonald)
- She’s Bulletproof (Trainer: Charlotte Littlefield / Jockey: Celine Gaudray)
- Spywire (Trainer: Ciaron Maher / Jockey: Jye McNeil)
- Tropicus (Trainer: Anthony and Sam Freedman / Jockey: Craig Williams)
- Way To The Stars (Trainer: Matthew Smith / Jockey: Ethan Brown)
G1 FUTURITY STAKES (1400m, WFA 3YO+)
- Buckaroo (Trainer: Chris Waller / Jockey: Jye McNeil)
- Evaporate (Trainer: Ben, Will and JD Hayes)
- Feroce (Trainer: Dom Sutton / Jockey: Billy Egan)
- Leica Lucy (Trainer: Chris Waller / Jockey: Ethan Brown)
- Pericles (Trainer: Bjorn Baker / Jockey: Craig Williams)
- Tom Kitten (Trainer: Anthony and Sam Freedman) - Nominated, but doubtful to run
- Treasurethe Moment (Trainer: Matt Laurie / Jockey: Damian Lane)
- Watch Me Rock (Trainer: Mark Walker / Jockey: William Pike (to be confirmed))
- Welwal (Trainer: Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr)
And this is the part most people miss... The Blue Diamond Stakes is more than just a race; it's a proving ground for future champions. The fact that horses like Manikato and Redoute’s Choice have graced its winner's circle speaks volumes about its significance.
Now, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Do you believe the late entry fee for Hard Kick is a fair system, or does it unfairly disadvantage some horses? And who do you think has the strongest chance of winning the Blue Diamond this year? Let me know in the comments below!
