We’ll be treated to a quality program at Caulfield on Friday, with the first real features of the autumn headlining the eight-race card.
The 2024 Blue Diamond Series kicks off with two intriguing Preview races for the fillies, colts & geldings, while other features include the W.J. Adams Stakes, the Manfred Stakes and the John Dillon Stakes.
I’ve run the rule over every galloper engaged, and you can find my complete Caulfield Australia Day Tips below.
Race 1 - 1:20pm AEDT
Tile Importer Trophy (2400m)
Open race to kick off the day and there is a case to be made for many, including Untethered.
Untethered has been a model of consistency this time in, placing in four of five starts and finding form around some classy opposition.
This is another small rise in class, but he’s hard fit and will relish the mile and a half again.
1 Unit Untethered
Race 2 - 1:55pm AEDT
Catanach’s Jewellers The Mary Bell (1400m)
Frenchmans Bay is hard fit and ready to strike this week at Caulfield.
The Helmet mare hasn’t missed placing at four runs back this time, winning in BM64 company at Sandown most notably, while she was only just denied by an impressive Yellow Sam at Geelong on Coastal Classic Day.
She gets some relief in the weights this week under Celine Gaudray and is drawn to receive a lovely run in transit.
2 Units Frenchmans Bay
Race 3 - 2:30pm AEDT
Group 3 Blue Diamond Preview F (1000m)
Just two of the nine fillies in the first Blue Diamond Preview field have raceday experience including Hayasugi, who I’ve out on top.
Hayasugi showed some promise at the trials prior to debuting, and while she was well beaten by Bold Bastille in the Inglis Banner, she was eye-catching into second.
Having been sent for a break after finishing a couple of lengths behind the winner in the Ottawa Stakes, I’m confident she’ll return an improved galloper and the booking of Jamie Kah adds further confidence.
1 Unit Hayasugi
Race 4 - 3:05pm AEDT
Listed Blue Diamond Preview C&G (1000m)
Just one of the ten colts and geldings in this year’s Blue Diamond Preview C&G field have raced previously, but I’m going to have something on a debutant, High Octane.
By Deep Field, High Octane has shown plenty of ability in three public trials up in Sydney, hitting the line in the lead at his last two.
This is the perfect career launchpad and he looks up the task under the urgings of Mark Zahra.
1 Unit High Octane
Race 5 - 3:40pm AEDT
Listed W.J. Adams Stakes (1000m)
Katsu was excellent in his first run back from a break and can make it two wins on the trot when he takes his place in the W.J. Adams Stakes.
The Mikke Isle helding has been a consistent performer for the Begg yard since debuting, but his fresh performance this time was amongst the best he has mustered to date and he is so-far undefeated at this point of his preparation.
With appropriate luck in running, he’s going to take a power of beating again.
4 Units Katsu
Race 6 - 4:20pm AEDT
Group 3 Manfred Stakes (1200m)
Brave Mead makes his return to the races in Saturday’s Manfred Stakes, and it looks a perfect campaign launchpad.
The Brave Smash colt has missed placing only once in nine previous trips to the races, winning three times and finding form around some of the better sprinters in his age bracket.
He was last seen finishing just over half a length second in the lucrative Blue Sapphire Stakes here at Caulfield in November, but a repeat of any of his spring performances would see him into the finish of this.
2 Units Brave Mead
Race 7 - 5pm AEDT
Listed John Dillon Stakes (1400m)
Yonce clearly needed her first run back from a long break to tune up, but I’m inclined to give her another chance when she takes her place in the John Dillon Stakes field.
Yonce enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence during her debut campaign, winning each of her first six career starts before finishing fourth in the 2022 Queen Of The Turf Stakes at Group 1 level.
Having then spent 18 months away from the races, she wasn’t all together terrible behind the likes of Sghirripa and Najem Suhail on Boxing Day, and she’s open to big improvement for it.
2 Units Yonce
Race 8 - 5:40pm AEDT
Nick Johnstone Real Estate Handicap (1400m)
Tough way to end the day from a betting perspective and a case to be made for many of them, including Toogoodfortoorak.
Toogoodfortoorak turned in some smart performances last time in, ending his prep an eye-catching winner of the Warracknabeal Cup, while I thought that his fresh performance when fifth, beaten a little over two lengths in BM70 at Flemington was full of merit.
With natural improvement, I think he can fight into the finish of something like this.
1 Unit Toogoodfortoorak