Blue Diamond Stakes Tips & Betting Preview

The Blue Diamond Stakes is a 1200 metre sprint race for two-year-olds and it carries a purse of $1.5 million. It’s one of two major highlights for the juveniles this season, the other being the Golden Slipper, and the winner is set for life.

Trainer Mick Price holds the cards with two of the best-backed runners. The unbeaten Extreme Choice is a slick sprinter which will press forward from barrier 12 and be tough to run down. Some experts are saying it can’t see out the distance, but it has been soft on the line in both career starts and we think it’ll see it out.

The second Mick Price-trained runner is Flying Artie which top jockey Damien Oliver preferred to ride over its stablemate Extreme Choice. That’s a good sign going forward for Flying Artie punters after it scored a super win in the Blue Diamond Prelude two weeks ago. The son of Artie Schiller didn’t get any favours in the barrier draw, landing barrier 16, so it will have to drop back, but that’s not the worst thing to happen in this race. Caulfield, and in particular the Blue Diamond, is a swoopers race and this is where Flying Artie has the advantage. It will get a drag into the race and it will come with plenty of momentum.

If Extreme Choice is to beat its stablemate, it will likely need a lead of about 2-3 lengths on the turn. Flying Artie ran a scintillating 1100-metre time in the prelude and it will only need some luck to take out the Group 1 feature.

Looking away from the Mick Price duo, Concealer looms as a major chance after showing good heart last start. The Tony McEvoy-trained filly missed the jump and was forced to settle at the back of the field. It was then forced to cover ground around the home turn, but it still ran on solidly for second behind Samara Dancer. McEvoy is confident it will go well providing it jumps well and it should get a nice run from barrier 5. Concealer is on the third line of betting at 6/1 and it looks a top chance to upset the Price-trained runners.

The aforementioned Samara Dancer is unbeaten in two starts and it was well backed when scoring a one-length win in the Prelude. Trainer Phillip Stokes is in need of some good news after suffering broken ribs and internal injuries following a horse kicking him at the trials, and what better way to recover than training the Blue Diamond winner? It hasn’t done anything wrong in two career starts to date and it could be the overlooked runner. The light weight is ideal at 54.5kg and it’s on a similar line as Concealer.

That’s the favourites covered, but there is a good chance of something placing at big odds. David Hayes has trained a Blue Diamond winner on five occasions and he lines up Zamzam which is paying 26/1. The son of Blue Diamond winner Redoute’s Choice was a two-length winner on debut and it had no luck behind Samara Dancer last start. It is bred to handle more ground than this so watch for it late and it could sneak into the minor money.

Star Turn had a couple of lengths on Flying Artie last start, but was gathered in late. It has the ability to sit on the pace and if the swoopers get into trouble around the home turn, Star Turn could put a gap on the field. The well-bred son of Star Witness was a three-length winner second up and it has been kept safe in the market by bookmakers. It’s currently 10/1 in the market and it looms as a major danger.

Top pick: Extreme Choice (2/1)
Next best: Concealer (11/2)
Best longshot: Zamzam (25/1)

There is also some good racing throughout the day at Caulfield. Melbourne Cup-bound Assign looks a danger in Race 1 for trainer Robert Hickmott. The former European won twice at Curragh before coming to Australia and it was a stylish winner last time out.

Peter Moody-trained Pasadena Girl resumes in Race 4 and it looks a strong chance. It drops down in class for this and it finds its best form in a fresh-up state. Money has come for the talented filly and it should go close to winning. For punters that like taking doubles, throw in Mahuta at an odds-on price in Race 5. It has won five consecutive races and it should increase payouts with another win.

For followers of 2015 Cox Plate champion Winx, it will be lining up in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes at Randwick where it will likely be too tough for its rivals. The majority of the field contains resuming stayers and the future champion should handle them with ease. Very short odds on offer.

A great day’s racing in Australia where there should be plenty of value on offer. Check our Australian racing tips here where our man has found his five best bets for the day.