Early all-in favourite to take out the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes 2017 Tulip is the headline filly nominated for the Blue Diamond Preview race at Caulfield Racecourse on Thursday.
Lindsay Park trainer Tom Dabernig has current 2017 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Tulip running in Thursday’s Fillies Preview. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Australia Day racing action in Melbourne this week is headed by the two two-year-old Blue Diamond Previews including the $150,000 Group 3 Blue Diamond Preview (Fillies) run over 1000m.
A total of 19 juvenile fillies are nominated for the race and early entries are dominated by the early favourite for next month’s Group 1.
The $1.5 million Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) runs back at Caulfield on February 25 and current pre-field odds at Ladbrokes.com.au on the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival feature are led by the David & Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig-trained Tulip ($9).
She enjoyed a win on debut over 1000m at Moonee Valley on New Year’s Eve and lines-up for just her second start on Saturday in the Preview.
Tulip is the sole Lindsay Park-trained hope in the fillies’ Preview, but stablemate Wait For No One is entered for the $150,000 Listed Blue Diamond Colts & Geldings Preview (1000m) running at the same public holiday meeting.
The best represented trainer with a bumper six entries in the Blue Diamond Fillies Preview this season is Robbie Griffiths and of his nominees all but Zarpoya are unraced.
A daughter of Sepoy who won the 2011 Blue Diamond Stakes, Zarpoya debuted on November 12 at Sandown and finished third beaten under two lengths in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m) as a $17 shot.
She currently pays $34 in the latest Blue Diamond Stakes betting markets at race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au, a price sure to firm if she can win first-up on Thursday.
The other two best in betting for next month nominated for the Fillies Blue Diamond Preview are Miss Wahoo and Spoils at $26 in futures markets.
Tony McEvoy prepares Master Of Design filly Miss Wahoo who has had two runs for two placings to date.
Her debut back in October produced a close third behind Wait For No One at Caulfield in the Listed Debutant Stakes (1000m).
She returned on New Year’s Day at Flemington and finished runner-up to Limestone in a two-year-old fillies’ race at set weights plus penalties and will have taken improvement off that.
Spoils also remains a maiden with the Clinton McDonald-trained Snitzel filly having run second in the Debutant Stakes in the spring going down a nostril flare.
Darren Weir has nominated for his Helmet filly, the aforementioned Limestone, who beat home Miss Wahoo for her Flemington win on November 1.
Prior to that the progressive young grey ran third on debut at Moonee Valley behind Catchy on December 9 with Dean Yendall in the saddle.
Other notable fillies in the mix include the unraced Hawkes Racing-trained daughter of Snitzel Squaw Peak and Henry Dwyer’s Stratum filly Straviera who ran fifth to Invincible Star in a Group 3 on Melbourne Cup Day.
Check out the full Blue Diamond Fillies Preview 2017 nominations below, the field and barriers out on Tuesday followed by betting at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost (T&Cs apply).
2017 Blue Diamond Preview (Fillies) Nominations
Caulfield Racecourse – 26/01/2017
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | BLONDIE | F | 2 | Brendan McCarthy | – |
| 2 | – | BYERLEY DIVA | F | 2 | Henry Dwyer | – |
| 3 | – | CHATEAU GRIFFO | F | 2 | Robbie Griffiths | – |
| 4 | – | CHERIEF’S CHOICE | F | 2 | Robbie Griffiths | – |
| 5 | 07x | FROM THE CLOUDS | F | 2 | Matt Laurie | – |
| 6 | 5 | KARDASHING | F | 2 | Jason Warren | – |
| 7 | 31 | LIMESTONE | F | 2 | Darren Weir | 69 |
| 8 | 8 | MISS LEONIDAS | F | 2 | Shaun Dwyer | – |
| 9 | 3×2 | MISS WAHOO | F | 2 | Tony McEvoy | 65 |
| 10 | – | NO ALIBI | F | 2 | Robbie Griffiths | – |
| 11 | 5x | PURRHAPS | F | 2 | Ciaron Maher | 61 |
| 12 | – | SOMETHING VIOLET | F | 2 | Robbie Griffiths | – |
| 13 | 2x | SPOILS | F | 2 | Clinton McDonald | 67 |
| 14 | – | SQUAW PEAK | F | 2 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | – |
| 15 | 5x | STRAVIERA | F | 2 | Henry Dwyer | 63 |
| 16 | 1 | TULIP | F | 2 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 68 |
| 17 | – | UNDOUBTABLE MISS | F | 2 | Robbie Griffiths | – |
| 18 | – | UNWISE | F | 2 | John O’Shea | – |
| 19 | 3x | ZARPOYA | F | 2 | Robbie Griffiths | 64 |
