The Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes 2017 field has been finalised with a full line-up of gun two-year-olds set to take to the Caulfield track on Saturday in the Group 1.
Catchy is one of five 2017 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes hopes for Lindsay Park in the Group 1 this weekend. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
A total of 17 final acceptances were received for this season’s $1.5 million Group 1 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) with the John Salanitri-trained Sheer Madness the sole emergency.
The Lindsay Park stable of David & Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig dominate the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes final acceptances with six in the mix.
Heading their contingent as well as the early Blue Diamond Stakes odds at race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au is undefeated Fastnet Rock filly Catchy.
She will be chasing her fourth career win on the back of a narrow victory in the Group 2 Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude (1100m) on February 11.
If successful Catchy will hand co-trainer David Hayes his sixth Blue Diamond Stakes trophy adding to those previously won with: Mahaasin (1990), Canonise (1991), Nadeem (2006), Sleek Chassis (l2007) and Reaan (2008).
Catchy will have Craig Williams aboard once more, the champion hoop after his maiden Blue Diamond Stakes success.
Also undefeated for the stable heading into the Blue Diamond Stakes are fellow Fastnet Rock filly Formality and promising Reset colt Muraahib up in class.
Formality was last seen posting a smart one and a half-length victory in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) at the track with Williams aboard and will be ridden by Ryan Moore this weekend.
Saturday marks the black-type debut of Muraahib who comes off a 1200m win by an impressive five and a half lengths on February 5, Steven Arnold retaining the ride.
Rounding out the Lindsay Park hopefuls are Will’s Bid (Damian Lane), Tulip (Damien Oliver) and Wait For No One (Regan Bayliss).
Last year’s Blue Diamond Stakes winning trainer Mick Price who prepared the quinella with Extreme Choice (1st) and Flying Artie (2nd) is back in 2017 accepting for Cao Cao.
Mark Zahra rides the son of Fastnet Rock, the Group 3 placed colt out to improve on a last start sixth in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Colts & Geldings Prelude (1100m).
Sepoy (2011) was the last colt to complete the Prelude – Blue Diamond Stakes double, while the two fillies to do the double since are Samaready (2012), and Earthquake (2014).
The Colts & Geldings Prelude winner Property lines-up in Saturday’s Group 1 with Joao Moreira replacing Williams in the saddle of the in-form Robert Smerdon-trained son of Starcraft.
Other key chancers include the Ciaron Maher-trained Inglis 2YO Premier winner over 1200m on February 4 Jukebox and Peter & Paul Snowden’s Redoute’s Choice colt Pariah coming off a second to Property in the Prelude.
Check out the full Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes 2017 field below, the barrier draw to take place from 11am (AEDT).
Now is also the time to check out the updated Blue Diamond Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost (T&Cs apply).
