Blue Diamond Stakes: Historical Results

Plenty has been said and written of the wide barriers drawn by Lindsay Park’s swarm of runners in Saturday’s Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m).

The David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig stable have six runners in the 16-horse race and all drew eight or wider, including pre-post favourite Catchy (13, into 12 if emergency Sheer Madness – seven – doesn’t run) and another leading fancy in Formality (12 into 11).

Wide gates haven’t been a recipe for Diamond success, with just eight of the past 30 winners jumping from double-digit gates, but two of those victories were supplied by the favourite in the past three years.

Earthquake came from the second-widest gate in a 16-horse field in 2014, while last year Extreme Choice started from 11 in a field of the same size.

Both settled in the first six, which has been the trend of most recent Diamond winners.

–        Starting from 2002, when Bel Esprit led all the way, nine of the 15 winners were in the first six at the 800m with only three further back than sixth at the 400m.

–        One of the above was a champion of her age group – Alinghi – who came from eighth at the 400m; Nadeem came from the same position on a Heavy 10 track, while Star Witness was 12th of 15 at the 400m in what was a hotly-contested early speed battle.

–        Since Star Witness, four of the six winners have been in the first three at the 400m.

The above adds to the fascination around how Craig Williams is likely to handle the unbeaten Catchy, who came from last on debut, settled third in small field of six second-up and had just one behind her settling in the Blue Diamond Prelude.

Pariah (barrier 11) is the other who occupies a position towards the pointy end of the market who has settled nearer last than first at his starts to date.

Property (barrier three) and Tulip took up midfield positions at their most recent starts and have the barriers to assume sought-after spots in Saturday’s $1.5million Group 1.

Formality and Jukebox (four) are those at single-figure odds that have been on-speed at their two wins to date.

Catchy drifted slightly after Tuesday’s barrier draw, but at time of publication retained favouritism at $5.50, which had the 2017 Diamond in line to become the most open edition of the race since Victory Chant started favourite at $6.50 a decade ago.

It presents a different challenge for punters, with those who have concentrated on those towards the head of the market having enjoyed a brilliant run of late.

After five of the six editions from 2005 to 2010 were won by horses at double-figure odds, five of the past six winners started favourite with the exception being Pride Of Dubai, who was the $6 second elect.

That colt came through the colts and geldings Prelude, as have six other Diamond winners in the past 30 years, while seven of the fillies to have won in that time rounded out their preparations in the girls’ Prelude.

The fillies Prelude/Diamond double, which Catchy is out to achieve this year, has been done seven times in the 46-year history of the race, including Samaready and Earthquake in the past five years, while Sepoy is the most recent of the four to complete the boys Prelude/Diamond double.

Sepoy also won the Blue Diamond Preview before claiming the Prelude and the Diamond, like Bel Esprit and Rancher before him, which is what Property is striving to achieve this year.

Midnight Fever is the lone filly to have won the Preview/Prelude/Diamond treble.

She is one of 18 fillies to have won the Diamond, but it is the boys who hold the upper hand overall with 28 victories.

– racing.com

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