GROUP 1 BLUE DIAMOND STAKES PREVIEW
Caulfield Race 7 – 4:15pm
GROUP 1 – 2YO
1200m
Rail – True
Good 4
| # | Form | Horse | Trainer | Jockey (barrier) | Weight (kg) | Current Price |
| 1 | 12x11 | GENERAL BEAU | MATHEW ELLERTON & SIMON ZAHRA | JAMIE KAH (3) | 57 | $6.00 |
| 2 | 12x21 | INGRATIATING | JAMES CUMMINGS | W PIKE (7) | 57 | $10.00 |
| 3 | 21x16 | FINANCE TYCOON | T DABERNIG & B HAYES | L NOLEN (6) | 57 | $26.00 |
| 4 | 213 | PEGASI | T & C MCEVOY | K MCEVOY (9) | 57 | $61.00 |
| 5 | 51x2 | ANAMOE | JAMES CUMMINGS | D OLIVER (15) | 57 | $4.80 |
| 6 | 14 | ABSEILER | L KENNEWELL | J BOWDITCH (16) | 57 | $126 |
| 7 | 21 | ARTORIUS | A & S FREEDMAN | L CURRIE (10) | 57 | $11 |
| 8 | 13 | JIGSAW | C ALDERSON | M WALKER (4) | 57 | $12 |
| 9 | 2x8 | CONSTRUCT | P & P SNOWDEN | J ALLEN (5) | 57 | $26 |
| 10 | 3x56 | MARINE ONE | L KENNEWELL | ZAC SPAIN (12) | 57 | - |
| 11 | 7 | HITOTSU | W KELLY | D W STACKHOUSE (13) | 57 | $101 |
| 12 | 1x1 | DOSH | G BEGG | J M NEIL (8) | 55 | - |
| 13 | 1x1 | ENTHAAR | C MAHER & D EUSTACE | M ZAHRA (14) | 55 | $2.75 |
| 14 | 11 | ARCADED | JAMES CUMMINGS | D LANE (1) | 55 | $14 |
| 15 | 53 | WOLVES | G EURELL | D DUNN (11) | 55 | $91 |
| 16 | 5 | GINIBI | GEMMA RIELLY | D THORNTON (2) | 55 | $126 |
OVERVIEW
The Blue Diamond, Melbourne’s premier race for juveniles will be run and won this Saturday having assembled a strong field of fifteen youngsters all chasing group one glory. Eleven colts and four fillies will line up in this year’s event to be run at Caulfield over the 1200m. The forecast is clear so we will be racing on a good track and the rail is in the true position. This meeting played very much on pace and too the inside last year so monitor throughout the meeting for any developing track pattern/bias.
SPEED
DOSH coming out of the race has removed some of the early pace injection however this still looks to be run at an above average tempo. GENERAL BEAU is a pro and you’d expect him to ping the lids again from the good draw with Jamie Kah aboard. He looks the natural leader unless she opts to take a sit. Race favourite ENTHAAR will roll forward from the wide draw, whether or not she wants to press forward and lead or look for cover will be interesting. ABSEILER, JIGSAW and GINIBI will all be prominent from PEGASI, ARCADED, INGRATIATING and WOLVES all looking for midfield spots. HITOTSU and FINANCE TYCOON just worse than midfield. CONSTRUCT, ANAMOE, MARINE ONE and ARTORIUS are your back markers.
KEY RUNNERS
13. ENTHAAR ($2.75) (Mark Zahra/Ciaron Maher & David Eustace)
The race was thrown into disarray earlier in the week when long time favourite Enthaar was deemed to be lame and in doubt to take her place in the field. A further vet inspection on Friday allowed futures punters to breath again with the daughter of Written Tycoon given the green light to take her place. Ultra-impressive in her two career starts to date, there’s no doubting her claims as a deserved favourite in this year’s Diamond. She produced stronger figures on debut in the Gimcrack than Shaquero who won on the same day (subsequent Magic Millions 2YO winner), before arrogantly disposing of Ingratiating (who has won since) last start at Caulfield, and recording the quickest last 600m sectional of the meeting in the process. The knocks with her are she has only been tested over 1000m, with both races run at fairly gentle tempos. She’ll meet a completely different race shape on Saturday in what is almost guaranteed to be a fast run race, so whether or not she has the ability to absorb pressure and still reel off big closing sectionals will be the question mark. Regardless, she should be able to offset the wide draw fairly comfortably and her class takes her a long way. Will be intriguing to see what the market does with her, especially after the recent hiccup, but if she’s firm she’ll be awfully hard to topple. The only niggle is the price.
5. ANAMOE ($4.80) (Damien Oliver/James Cummings)
The Godolphin colt Anamoe looks the obvious and clear danger to toppling Enthaar, after a slashing run resuming when runner up to General Beau in the colts and geldings prelude (1100m). That was a fast run race, so his late strength through the line (quickest last 200m of the race, 16th of the day) signals that he’s likely to relish the step to 1200m. Damien Oliver electing to ride him over the stablemate Ingratiating is an obvious tick and he also gets the blinkers on on Saturday. Really improved 2nd up last preparation when knocking off the talented Forbes, so with a similar forward showing in the yard he looks a real threat here for mine. Obviously will give away a start having to drift back from the wide draw, but that will also allow him to wind up in uninterrupted air. If the Caulfield lanes are in play he may be the one to launch over the top of them late.
9. CONSTRUCT ($31) (John Allen/Peter & Paul Snowden)
Want to make a case for this galloper from the Snowden yard who presents here 2nd up after a midfield finish in the colts and geldings prelude. Drew wide that day and was not suited by the ride or the race shape when having to drift back to find cover. Had to settle a long way off them before working his way to the line in strong closing sectionals (2nd fastest last 600/400/200 of the race behind Anamoe). Think he can settle a lot closer here from the better draw and gets a positive jockey change with Allen going aboard. I think he’s definitely worth a ticket at the 30/1 currently being shopped.
TOP PICK
Enthaar the clear horse to beat but just not enthused by the price with the fact that she still needs to tick the 1200m box in a high-pressure race. Think Anamoe presents as a much better option at the price. Gives away a start so we want to monitor how the track plays but this horse will relish a fast run 1200m, and from the wide draw he’ll get the chance to work through his gears and attack the line. Gets the top jock for what is clearly his grand final. He’ll do us. Happy to also have smaller bets on Construct and also Artorius, who’s another that will relish a fast run race having won well at 1300m last start.
GOOD LUCK PUNTERS!
