The Lindsay Park trained stablemates Long Leaf and Ennis Hill are equal favourites on race morning for the 2018 Group 1 $1.5m Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield today.

Long Leaf, above, is equal favourite with Ennis Hill for the 2018 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Long Leaf, above, is equal favourite with Ennis Hill for the 2018 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Ladbrokes.com.au au have Long Leaf and Ennis Hill at $6.50 each while stables other two runners are at double figure odds with Qafila at $14 and Enbihaar at $21.

The Blue Diamond Stakes will still run a capacity field of sixteen even with the scratchings of Ollivander and Native Soldier which allowed the first two emergencies, Aristocratic Miss and More Than Exceed to gain a spot in the final field.

Lindsay Park have a great chance to win back to back Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes after co-trainers David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig collected the winning trophy last year with Catchy.

Long Leaf is undefeated from three starts and will jump from barrier six with Kerrin McEvoy taking over the reins from Damien Oliver who ride the Fastnet Rock colt to victory last start ion the Listed $150,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) for the colts and geldings at Caulfield on January 27.

Stephen Baster takes the ride again on Ennis Hill (barrier 3) after steering the Fastnet Rock filly to victory at her second race start in the Group 3 $150,000 Ladbrokes Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on February 3.

On the second line of betting at $7 is Oohood who is one of four youngsters trainer Tony McEvoy will saddle up in the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes.

Luke Currie has ridden Oohood in all of her three race starts and sticks with her today and even though the filly is yet to win, all of her runs have been good, including her last start second to Enbihaar in the Group 2 $200,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) for the fillies at Caulfield on February 10.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.