The final 16 acceptors for the Group 1 $1.5 million Neds Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) have been confirmed ahead of the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival‘s feature race for two-year-olds running at Caulfield this weekend.
Revolutionary Miss is the best fancied of the fillies in Saturday’s 2022 Blue Diamond Stakes field. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Ten colts and geldings and six fillies are engaged in this year’s 2022 Blue Diamond Stakes field including both Prelude winners.
Narrow favourite in Blue Diamond Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au is the Julius Sandhu-trained Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) winner Lofty Strike looking to make it three-from-three on Saturday.
Jockey Jamie Mott continues associations on the progressive Snitzel colt who was dominant at double-figures winning his Group 3 lead-up over 1100m on February 12.
Lofty Strike is out to be the fifth horse in history to complete the double ing Rancher (1982), Bel Esprit (2002), Sepoy (2011) and recently Written By (2018).
The fillies’ edition of the Prelude on the same date was won in style by the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Revolutionary Miss.
She is now the best fancied of the girls to beat home the boys in the Blue Diamond Stakes results this weekend after running quicker time in the Prelude.
Lofty Strike won in 1:03.98 with a final 600m of 35 seconds flat, while Revolutionary Miss posted a slick victory in 1:08.87 and a final 600m of 34.82 seconds.
She has her fourth career start in the Group 1 after breaking her maiden status in the Prelude when running outside of Sydney for the first time.
The latest fillies to take out the Prelude – Blue Diamond Stakes double are Lyre (2019), Catchy (2017), Earthquake (2014) and Samaready (2012).
Eight of the past 23 Blue Diamond Stakes winners have been fillies, most recently Lyre (2019).
A nicely-bred daughter of Russian Revolution, Revolutionary Miss will be ridden by Jamie Kah.
Co-trainer Peter Snowden chases his fourth Blue Diamond Stakes victory since 2010 having prepared previous champions: Sepoy (2011), Earthquake (2014) and Pride Of Dubai (2015).
He is after his second in partnership with son Paul and Revolutionary Miss is the stable’s sole final acceptor.
Last year’s winning trainers Anthony & Sam Freedman (Artorius, 2021) chase back-to-back trophies saddling-up Epaulette colt Daumier, the Preview winner having run third last time out in the Prelude under two lengths beaten.
The other best out of the boys’ edition of the Blue Diamond Prelude is runner-up Semillion, last year’s Inglis Banner winner running for Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes.
The Hawkes’ stable has not won a Blue Diamond Stakes since the 2003 victory of Kusi for John Hawkes.
This year they saddle-up two in the mix with Semillion ed by Capitalist colt Sebonack, winner off the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) at the Caulfield track on debut on February 5.
Also getting plenty of early love ahead of the juveniles’ showdown is Mick Price & Michael Kent Junior’s Rubick colt Jacquinot who finished off well when fifth to Lofty Strike in the Prelude off a previous big Caulfield win on Boxing Day over the 1200m.
He will relish the step back-up to six furlongs and could prove the value with Damian Lane retaining the ride.
Connections of the Peter Gelagotis-trained Miss Roseiano meanwhile opted to pay the late entry not having originally nominated the talented Exceed And Excel filly.
She won the Group 3 Blue Diamond Preview (F) on debut on Australia Day before a second in the Prelude three-quarters of a length beaten.
Other notable Blue Diamond Stakes runners this autumn include I Am Invincible colts Counttheheadlights and Hafey for the ace Maher/Eustace stable.
Peter Moody meanwhile is in with three runners as he looks for a second Blue Diamond Stakes success following his 2009 victory with Reward For Effort.
Moody’s Blue Diamond chances this year are Frankel colt Rampant Lion last seen running second in January’s Preview, Written Tycoon colt Merchant Prince coming via a different path when second on February 26 over 1300m at Sandown-Hillside and his Talindert Stakes second-placed filly Waltz On By.
The official 2022 Blue Diamond Stakes Barrier Draw will be conducted live on Racing.com from 12:45pm (AEDT) today.
2022 Blue Diamond Stakes Final Field
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Penalty | H Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1×2 | SEMILLION | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 0 | 57kg | |||
| 2 | 11 | LOFTY STRIKE | Julius Sandhu | Jamie Mott | 0 | 57kg | ||
| 3 | 13 | DAUMIER | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Mark Zahra | 0 | 57kg | ||
| 4 | 1 | SEBONACK | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 0 | 57kg | |||
| 5 | 14 | COUNTTHEHEADLIGHTS | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Ben Allen | 0 | 57kg | ||
| 6 | 15 | JACQUINOT | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | Damian Lane | 0 | 57kg | ||
| 7 | 3×2 | RAMPANT LION | Peter G Moody | 0 | 57kg | |||
| 8 | 512 | MERCHANT PRINCE | Peter G Moody | 0 | 57kg | |||
| 9 | 338 | FLASHING STEEL | Annabel Neasham | Brodie Loy | 0 | 57kg | ||
| 10 | 1 | HAFEY | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Craig Williams | 0 | 57kg | ||
| 11 | 221 | REVOLUTIONARY MISS | Peter & Paul Snowden | Ms Jamie Kah | 0 | 55kg | ||
| 12 | 12 | MISS ROSEIANO | Peter Gelagotis | 0 | 55kg | |||
| 13 | 15×7 | KIKI EXPRESS | Mathew Ellerton | Damien Thornton | 0 | 55kg | ||
| 14 | 23 | ENGLISH RIVIERA | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | John Allen | 0 | 55kg | ||
| 15 | 42 | WALTZ ON BY | Peter G Moody | 0 | 55kg | |||
| 16 | 214 | SEVEN SISTERS | James Cummings | 0 | 55kg |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
