Trainer Grahame Begg’s sole remaining 2018 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes hopeful Written By will trial at Cranbourne on Monday to decide whether or not he presses onto the $1.5 million feature on February 24.
Written By will be out to have his suspension lifted ahead of the 2018 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes via a barrier trial on Monday at Cranbourne. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The official third acceptances for this season’s Group 1 $1.5 million Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) closed on Tuesday and of the 84 entries, Begg paid up for his well-bred Written Tycoon colt Written By.
One debut back in early December the up-and-comer enjoyed a one length win on a Heavy (8) track at Ladbrokes Park, Sandown, over 1000m in a two-years-old set weights plus penalties showdown.
Written By however caught the attention of the stewards for the wrong reasons, playing up pre-race and not loading into the barriers without trouble that earned him a suspension from racing.
Now the Pinecliff-based Begg will trial the colt in front of stewards on Monday, Written By’s barrier manners there to determine whether he remains a chance for the Blue Diamond Stakes field at Caulfield in a month’s time.
“We’re all happy with him at this stage,” Begg told Racing Victoria.
“He’s trialling next Monday and he needs to get his (barrier) ticket again.
“We’ve done a lot of work with him in the barriers but I suppose it’s always a concern until they go out and do it.”
All going well and Begg is eyeing a first-up run for the autumn in the Group 3 $200,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) for colts and geldings on February 10, a fortnight out from the big event.
That race last produced a Blue Diamond Stakes winner in Pride Of Dubai (2nd in 2015), while the double was last completed by the also Peter Snowden-trained Sepoy (2011).
Lindsay Park’s gun filly Catchy (2017) meanwhile won last season’s Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes on the back of a lead-up win in the Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude.
All-in Blue Diamond Stakes betting at race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au this year is currently led by two hopefuls at $7 including last weekend’s Blue Diamond C&G Preview winner Long Leaf.
Undefeated in three runs, the gun son of Fastnet Rock is one of 16 Blue Diamond Stakes third acceptors for last year’s winning stable.
His other black-type win to date was last November at Ladbrokes Park where Long Leaf narrowly defeated the Tony McEvoy-trained filly Oohood.
Oohood, an untapped daughter of sire-of-the-moment I Am Invincible, is the other $7 co-favourite in futures Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes odds.
She ran first-up last Saturday at Caulfield in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude (1000m) and finished under a length back for third.
As for Begg’s Blue Diamond hopeful, Written By sits as a $41 outsider in the markets.
Check out the latest Blue Diamond Stakes 2018 betting odds and offers online now through Ladbrokes.com.au.
