Caulfield plays host to its annual Group 1 tripleheader on Saturday with the Futurity Stakes, Oakleigh Plate, and of course, the Blue Diamond Stakes headlining one of the biggest programs of the Autumn Carnival.
We should be racing on a Good 4 with the rail true across the circuit, and there is no shortage of equine excitement with the likes of Treasurethe Moment and Point Barrow stepping out in the features.
See below for our best bets ahead of a bumper Blue Diamond Day program!
EXPULSION (12) deserves another chance after a pretty game effort for third here over the track and trip a few weeks ago.
The daughter to Bivouac flew home with a well-timed run down the outside to finish three-quarters of a length off, quickening well under Jamie Melham – who pilots again from a very similar gate.
The pair will likely adopt a similar midfield position early on and with two solid runs under her belt now, this looks a nice assignment for her ready to peak third-up.
ROSBERG (2) looks forward enough to run a big race fresh from a spell in Saturday’s Zeditave Stakes.
The Deep Field colt gets the blinkers on for the first time coming off two solid hit outs at Cranbourne, while this is also a slightly easier leadoff point into his autumn campaign after last competing in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes at Flemington last year.
Clinton McDonald’s three-year-old won the Listed McKenzie Stakes fresh at The Valley over 1200m to kick off the spring, and although Valley form is sometimes suspect, he does look to be an out and out first-up performer.
IMMEDIACY (2) finds it tough to win, but boy there was a bit to like about his run for second here over the mile first-up.
The Tarzino five-year-old went searching for a run along the fence, forced to shift across heels at the top of the straight, before accelerating hard all the way through the line to go very close to beating Light Infantry Man.
He’s a dual winner over the 2000m trip and draws to get back early again from barrier 5 with the hopes of saving something for late under John Allen.
The blinkers go on OUR CHIEF (3) for the first time in the Autumn Classic after he went very close to making it a double here three weeks ago.
Danny O’Brien’s lightly-raced three-year-old closed off quite well off a three-wide sit, finishing half a length third to Miss Maranda following an impressive win over 2000m at Headquarters the run prior.
By Tagaloa, he’s featured in the money in all four races he’s contested so far. In with 57kg at the weights this time, everything points toward another honest showing.
SHEZA ALIBI (1) can mix her form first-up, but she does look to have a few of these covered in terms of class.
The Moody/Coleman-trained filly was exceptional over the spring winning The Vanity and the Sandown Guineas in succession, and there’s no knock on her recent jump out win after showing her usual turn of foot right past the post.
She’s drawn to get the gun run here under Zac Spain in the Angus Armanasco and looks to be one of the better bets on the day.
Happy to give DAMASK ROSE (5) another look in this year’s Mannerism after an encouraging return over shorter last month.
This daughter to Savabeel has been a tricky one to get a feel for over the last six months, although it has to be said that there were excuses on offer on a few occasions when she took on Group 1 company over the spring.
Her first-up effort saw her close strongly along the inside when she just failed to reel in Wrote To Arataki, running within a length in the end from a similar inside gate.
Fitter now and likely wanting longer, she appeals big time with Craig Williams sticking.
Looks to be some good early speed engaged, which should suit TREASURETHE MOMENT (7) just fine ahead of her first run back.
Matt Laurie’s mare matched it with some top tier talent over the spring, notably running third to Via Sistina in the Cox Plate and fourth to Ceolwulf in the Cantala Stakes.
She’s been super honest fresh from a spell and was all class in a recent jump out. If she’s up towards the front early and not asked to do much, Damian Lane should have plenty to work with when it counts.
Hard to work out why GHANA’S AKAN (11) is long odds based on recent results.
The Street Boss filly was the widest out of the bend two back in the Preview race for the girls, running home strongly into fourth where she went past a few runners to hit the line hard.
She took steady improvement on the Sydney leg when she ran second in the Inglis Millennium where she was one of the runs of the race for mine in another storming finish.
Hard fit now fourth-up and looking as though she’ll handle 1200m, she’s well worth a look with a double-figure price tag.
Big watch here on TROPICUS (3) back from a spell for the Freedman boys.
The Too Darn Hot entire went within a length second of Giga Kick last October in the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes, before the heavy track cost him on his way to landing midfield in the Group 1 sprint on Champions Day.
He’s jumped out well ahead of his return and is a two-time winner first-up, not to mention the fact all three of his wins have come here at Caulfield.
STEALTH OF NIGHT (12) has enough early speed to push forward and lead from an ugly gate.
On recent form, she’d be much firmer in the market if she’d drawn a decent barrier, the mare by Night Of Thunder finding the money all seven of her starts since debuting at Geelong a couple of years ago.
She’s been given a few weeks since running second to Until Valhalla here a couple of weeks ago, a big effort with another gap between runs. Down at the weights again with Willo sticking, she’s a genuine each-way chance in an open race.