Smart filly Loving Gaby remains the favourite despite drawing a wide barrier in the 2019 Group 1 $1.5m Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Loving Gaby, above, remains the favourite for the 2019 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield despite drawing a wide barrier. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trained Loving Gaby drew barrier twelve in the fourteen horse Blue Diamond Stakes field but still holds on to favouritism at $4.60 at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Loving Gaby created a huge impression at her only start when she came from last at the 800m to record a half a length win in the Group 3 $160,000 Ladbrokes Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on February 2.
Damian Lane was aboard Loving Gaby for her debut win and takes the ride again in the Blue Diamond Stakes.
On the second line of betting at $7 is the James Cummings trained Athiri who has also drawn wide at barrier thirteen with Craig Williams wearing the famous Godolphin royal blue colours.
The Godolphin royal blue colours will also be worn by Luke Currie who will team up with the Anthony Freedman trained Lyre who has drawn nicely at gate five.
Lyre is well fancied in the betting at $8.50 along side of her stablemate I Am Immortal who will jump from gate nine with Ben Melham in the saddle and Freedman said on twitter that both juveniles are in great shape for the Blue Diamond Stakes.
“She (Lyre) galloped extremely well this morning and is in top order heading into the Group 1 feature,” Freedman Racing tweeted this morning.
“We were also very happy with his (I Am Immortal) work this morning and he heads into the race spot on.”
Outsider Game Keeper ($81) drew the rails while $11 chance Shotmaker will jump from the outside gate.
Final field and barrier draw for 2019 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m)
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | I AM IMMORTAL | Anthony Freedman | Ben Melham | 9 | 56.5kg |
| 2 | 1×3 | HAWKER HURRICANE | Michael Moroney | Mark Zahra | 2 | 56.5kg |
| 3 | 11 | FREE OF DEBT | Chris Bieg | Michael Walker | 6 | 56.5kg |
| 4 | 2 | SHOTMAKER | Mick Price | Hugh Bowman | 14 | 56.5kg |
| 5 | 441 | GAME KEEPER | Tony McEvoy | Barend Vorster | 1 | 56.5kg |
| 6 | 1×10 | CATCH ME | Peter & Paul Snowden | Dwayne Dunn | 8 | 54.5kg |
| 7 | 511 | LYRE | Anthony Freedman | Luke Currie | 5 | 54.5kg |
| 8 | 1×2 | VINICUNCA | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Stephen Baster | 4 | 54.5kg |
| 9 | 1×2 | BELLA ROSA | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Ms Linda Meech | 10 | 54.5kg |
| 10 | 1 | LOVING GABY | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Damian Lane | 12 | 54.5kg |
| 11 | 1×3 | ATHIRI | James Cummings | Craig Williams | 13 | 54.5kg |
| 12 | 2×14 | LANKAN STAR | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Damien Oliver | 7 | 54.5kg |
| 13 | 1×5 | BROOKLYN HUSTLE e | Jason Warren | Beau Mertens | 11 | 54.5kg |
| 14 | 71 | ANDRASSY AVENUE | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Luke Nolen | 3 | 54.5kg |
