2021 Blue Diamond Stakes Day Preview

Melbourne’s Autumn Racing Carnival continues this Saturday with a plethora of black type races taking place at Caulfield

There are three Group 1 races taking place with the feature event being the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes for the two-year olds.

There will be plenty of interest in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) as well as the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m).

Our full 2021 Blue Diamond Stakes Day Preview can be read below.

Patrick Payne is being far more conservative with lightly raced six year old gelding Defibrillate than I would have been by placing him in the first of the day here at Caulfield.

He has shown his ability recently winning three in a row which makes it eight wins from 12 career starts to date.

This again looks a very winnable race for him and we can start our day off on a winning note.

5 Units Difibrillate

Vowmaster is having just his third career start in the Group 3 Zeditave Stakes in the second race of the day at Caulfield but he has not put a foot wrong so far.

The son of Written Tycoon was dominant on debut at Kyneton before stepping up in grade and scoring by 2.5 lengths at The Valley.

A recent six length trial win has put the writing on the wall and the punters have been very keen to back him early in betting.

He is short but he should win.

5 Units Vowmaster 

Malicorne just missed when resuming in the Kevin Hayes behind a pretty smart one in La Mexicana.

She has finished outside the top two just once in eight career race starts and she looks well placed in a race that does not have a lot of depth.

Daniel Stackhouse will steer from barrier two and with even luck she can record her third race win.

2 Units Malicorne

Only eight mares have accepted for the Group 3 Mannerism Stakes and Perfect Jewel has come up the even money favourite for Grant and Alana Williams.

I simply can’t get her as short as that price.

Sovereign Award was given no chance first up in the C.F. Orr Stakes when setting a breakneck speed up front.

The daughter of Shamus Award was the first one beaten (okay maybe race favourite Sir Dragonet was) and was pulled up late in the race.

If you can forgive that effort and look back to her win in the Group 3 Ladies’ Day Vase back in October as a guide, she represents some good value here.

1 Unit E/W Sovereign Award

There are two horses at the top of the market in the fifth race of the day at Caulfield in Khoekhoe and Young Werther.

We saw the return of Young Werther at in the Autumn Stakes where he he finished seventh, beaten 8.5 lengths behind Poland over 1400m.

Khoekhoe makes his return to the races after finishing second in the Moonee Valley Vase back in October.

The Cumani trained colt beat Young Werther at this distance in the Super Impose at Flemington during the spring and he is far better suited in that battle here at Caulfield in my opinion.

They are the two proven horses in a race that lacks a whole lot of depth and I simply couldn’t back Young Werther off the back of that first up effort.

2 Units Khoekhoe

The Group 1 Futurity Stakes is always a fascinating race and this year’s edition has attracted a really nice field of gallopers.

I have a huge opinion of the Jamie Richards trained Probabeel who put the writing on the wall with a huge first up win in the Bellmaine Stakes.

She was forced to sit three wide without cover from the bad barrier for the majority of the 1200m trip in that race but she idled up to them and let down really well in the concluding stages to win by over a length.

She drops 3kgs for this assignment and she looks really well placed in this Group 1 event.

Caulfield Guineas winner Ole Kirk was excellent when resuming in the Inglis Sprint at Randwick.

He finished within a length of the winner and was doing his best work late. I’ll have to have something on him also just in case there is a hot tempo in front.

3 Units Probabeel

1 Unit Ole Kirk

Six of the past 10 Blue Diamond Stakes favourites have won the race and Enthaar has looked bulletproof in both her wins to date.

The Godolphin colt Ingratiating chased that filly home when resuming in the Chairman’s Stakes and although it was a pretty soft win for her, there was plenty to like about this colt.

He then came out and won down the straight at Flemington in the Listed Talindert Stakes in impressive fashion and he should have an added fitness advantage at his third run.

Construct is one at a price that has interested punters in early betting.

The colt by I Am Invincible was posted three wide in the Blue Diamond Prelude but he rattled home from last to get within 3.3 lengths of the winner General Beau.

I’m not sure he is suited by Caulfield but he will get a far better run in transit from barrier five and John Allen jumps aboard for the first time.

1 Unit Ingratitating

1/2 E/W Construct

• Our complete Blue Diamond Stakes runner-by-runner guide can be viewed here

The Oakleigh Plate for the sprinters is always a cracking race with many winning chances and this year looks no different.

Three year old’s have a fantastic record in the race with 11 winners of the race since 1989.

Portland Sky was impressive when winning the Manfred Stakes first up at Caulfield fighting off Aysar and Tagaloa in the concluding stages.

That form has been franked with last year’s Blue Diamond Stakes winner Tagaloa taking out the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes last weekend at Flemington.

Teodore Nugent will have plenty of options from barrier five and with just the 50kg on his back, he can give this a real shake at a nice price.

1 Unit E/W Portland Sky 

Nonconformist was excellent when resuming in the Group 3 Carlyon Cup at Caulfield and the four year old gelding got to within two lengths of the winner Best Of Days on the line.

He has been a very consistent horse in his short career having placed in nine of his 11 starts and Graham Begg has placed him really well yet again in the last of the day.

The step up in distance is ideal for him and I am of the opinion that he can measure up in some pretty handy races over the autumn.

2 Units Nonconformist