Blue Diamond Stakes Day 2019

I Am Immortal – Blue Diamond Preview

Saturday’s racing at Caulfield features the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes as well as two other Group 1 races – Futurity Stakes and Oakleigh Plate.

I first attended the Blue Diamond Stakes back in 2012. I remember the day as being a hot 40° C and that the Blue Diamond winner was Samaready.

This Saturday the weather is forecast to be in the mid 20s and sunny, a perfect for a day at the races.

So who will win the Blue Diamond Stakes?

Having watched all the build up races, several stand out as likely chances; colt I Am Immortal, and fillies Catch Me, Brooklyn Hustle, Lyre and Loving Gaby who was the early race favourite. It being a race for two year olds anything could happen, so one of the other four colts or five fillies could steal the show.

The first of the Group 1 races scheduled to run is the Futurity Stakes, a race over 1400 metres, comprising the usual suspects such as Hartnell, Redkirk Warrior, Land of Plenty, Le Romain and Brave Smash. Early favourite is Sydney mare Alizee who started her Autumn with an impressive win in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes. She is also favourite for the All Star Mile, the new race on the block that will be run on the 16th March at Flemington.

Also in the Futurity picture is Orr Stakes winner Manuel and talented three year old Ringerdingding.

Speedster Nature Strip takes on a huge field in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate that include such talented sprinters as Viddora, Eduardo and Booker.  Nature Strip looks the logical pick and should win if he has recovered from his dazzling win in the Rubiton Stakes a fortnight ago.

I intend to get to the track around 1.30 pm. Fortunately trains will be running as normal.

The First Group 1 of Autumn – Orr Stakes Review

Manuel – Orr Stakes winner returning to the stalls after the  presentation

In startling contrast to the last race meeting at Caulfield, last Saturday was cool and overcast as opposed to searingly hot and sunny, which was a welcome respite and made it much more pleasant to spend an afternoon at the races.

I arrived at Caulfield fairly early in the afternoon in time to watch the third race on the program. This was the Group 3 Bellmaine Stakes, a race for mares over 1200 metres. The favourite was Princess of Queens and she didn’t disappoint, winning by a narrow margin from Fuhryk and I Am A Star.

Bellmaine Stakes just past the post 

Princess of Queens strolls back to scale

In Race 4, the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes, there was great interest in seeing how Nature Strip would fare in the 1100 metre race. He was one of the former Darren Weir horses racing on Saturday. He is now with Chris Waller, whom I’m sure would have been pleased with the speedster’s performance in the Rubiton Stakes. Nature Strip blitzed the field, leading from start to finish and winning by 3½ lengths from Jungle Edge, with Thermal Current running third a further 2 lengths behind.

Nature Strip corners like a greyhound just past the post

Nature Strip returns to scale

Jungle Edge returns to scale

Thermal Current returns to scale

The colts and geldings Blue Diamond Prelude was the first  to run and was up next.  Blue Diamond Preview winner I Am Immortal started as favourite and prevailed, again leading from go to whoa to narrowly defeat Shotmaker and Hawker Hurricane.  He is the first colt to accomplish the Preview/Prelude double since Sepoy in 2011. Whether he can go on to emulate Sepoy and take out the Blue Diamond Stakes is yet to be seen.

I Am Immortal still ahead after the post

I Am Immortal returns to scale

I Am Immortal – head shot returning to the stalls after the presentation

In the fillies Blue Diamond Prelude, it was expected that previously impressive fillies Catch Me and Brooklyn Hustle would be prominent and fight out the finish, but neither featured and ended up out of the places.

Godolphin filly Lyre won the bickies at big odds from Vinicunca (also at big odds) and Athiri.

Just past the post in the fillies Blue Diamond Prelude – the first three home- Lyre (blue silks, white cap) Vinicunca (inside) & Athiri (blue silks, blue cap)

Lyre returns to the stalls after the presentation still in her winners rug

As far as the actual Blue Diamond Stakes goes the picture is somewhat unclear after the fillies Prelude. The great white hope for a filly to win is now Loving Gaby – a big strong girl who could well take the prize.

Regarding Brooklyn Hustle, the early favourite for the Blue Diamond, she could still be in the picture. She’s a lovely looking filly, quite the head turner, being a bright chestnut with blonde mane and tail, rather reminiscent of Miracles of Life, the 2013 Blue Diamond Stakes winner. I managed to get a lovely photo of her as she was being walked in the stalls area.

Brooklyn Hustle

There was only one more race to run before the feature Group 1 event, and that was the Group 2 Autumn Stakes, a race for three year olds over 1400 metres.  Hawkshot, a handsome son of 2013 Melbourne Cup winner, Fiorente, ran a similar race to former stablemate Nature Strip, leading from the start to win by 3½ lengths from Dealmaker with Ringerdingding running third,

Hawkshot in the pre-parade ring

Hawkshot returns to scale

Dealmaker on his way to the barriers

Ringerdingding on his way to the barriers

Another who ran and won setting the pace was the long odds surprise winner of the feature Group 1 Orr Stakes – Manuel trained by Tony McEvoy. Kementari was the hot favourite for the race, but as seems to always be the case, he was relegated to second place, dead heating with Land of Plenty.

Orr Stakes just past the post – Manuel still has a good lead.

Manuel on his way to the barriers

Kementari on his way to the barriers

Land of Plenty on his way to the barriers

Much as I would have liked to, I didn’t stay for the Group 3 Carlyon Stakes as it was getting late. It was won by Avilius, who is now favourite for the Australian Cup.

It remained overcast most of the afternoon,  challenging for properly exposed photos, but it only rained briefly shortly before the Orr Stakes. I had dressed for wet weather, and expected to be overly warm. A brisk breeze kept it cool, so I was never uncomfortable.

The absence of Darren Weir was noticeable, but his former horses performed very well for their new stables.

Next weekend the Melbourne racing moves to Flemington which features the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning, wherein super filly Sunlight will hopefully shine. In Sydney at Randwick, the mighty Winx will be kicking off her final campaign in the Group 2  Apollo Stakes – a must watch race.  Go Winx!

Catch Me! I Am Immortal – Blue Diamond Previews

Shortly after the finish of the fillies Blue Diamond Preview – first three home Catch Me (green silks) Jedastar (blue silks) & Shih Tzou (blue cap)

The first Group 1 race of Melbourne’s Autumn Racing Carnival is less than a fortnight hence, so I decided last Saturday to psych myself up and head to the races at Caulfield.

It wasn’t a terribly interesting meeting other than the two Blue Diamond Previews, where one is afforded an early opportunity to see  Blue Diamond bound babes in action.  Several winners of the Previews have gone on to win the Blue Diamond Stakes, most recently Sepoy (2011), Reward For Effort (2009) and Miracles of Life (2013).

I did not make a long day of it, arriving at Caulfield in time to watch Race 3, which was the Le Pines Funerals Handicap run over 1400 metres. The Hawkes trained Groundbreak started as favourite but finished out of the placings. Critical Thinking, a son of So You Think, led from the start and held on to win narrowly over Simply Invincible and Indian Thunder.

Just past the post – Critical Thinking still leads

The first of the Previews to run was the colts edition and I Am Immortal started as favourite even though this was his first start, though he had impressed recently in a trial at Pakenham.  He also led from the start and held on to win by a length from second favourite Microphone with Alburq running third another length behind.

I managed to get photos of most of the field in the pre-parade ring, and the standout good looker was Brazen Brando who looked the spitting image of his sire Brazen Beau, also a stunner. He ran fourth, racing from the rear of the field with an impressive turn of foot.

Brazen Brando in the pre-parade ring

I Am Immortal in the pre-parade ring

Shortly after the finish, I Am Immortal still leads Microphone

I Am Immortal returns to scale

In the fillies Blue Diamond Preview, Catch Me’s win was the more impressive and hard won, as she ran three wide for most of the race, then broke through to defeat race favourite, and leader, Jedastar by a length, with Shih Tzou following for a narrow third.

Catch Me returns to scale

Interestingly both Catch Me and I Am Immortal were sired by I Am Invincible. Whether either are good enough to win the Blue Diamond is yet to be seen.

I called it quits after the fillies Preview and headed home, the heat of day putting me off staying longer.

Next Saturday’s race card at Caulfield looks somewhat more interesting with a possible clash between classy speedsters, the handsome chestnuts, Written By and Nature Strip in the
Listed W J Adams Handicap, and Victoria Derby winner Extra Brut is nominated for the feature Group 3 Manfred Stakes.

The equine stars are emerging at last as the racing scene builds up to Group 1 action.

And of course there’s Winx, who will kick off her final season of racing in the Apollo Stakes on February 16.

I’ve been contemplating going to see her in Sydney again for the last time and tossing up between Golden Slipper day and Queen Elizabeth Stakes day. Golden Slipper day, at Rosehill, where Winx, all going to plan, will be running in the George Ryder Stakes, has won out.  I would prefer to go to Rosehill rather than Randwick – it’s better for photos.  Anyway, my flight to Sydney is booked, as is accommodation, so I can’t change my mind.