The Lindsay Park Team of David Hayes and Tom Dabernig could have up to four runners in the Group 1 $1.5m Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Valliano, white and red colours, will be one of several runners for the Lindsay Park Team in the Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Hayes has trained the winner of the Blue Diamond Stakes on five occasions before setting a training partnership with Tom Dabernig, claiming the trophy in 1990 with Mahaasin, 1991 with Canonise, 2006 with Nadeem, 2007 with Sleek Chassis and with Reaan in 2008.
Valliano, Highland Beat and Zamzam will make the final field while Seaburge is on the borderline of making the final sixteen.
Hayes has a high opinion of Seaburge who scored on debut in a 1200m Pakenham Maiden on January 21 and is hoping for bit of luck to make into into field.
“I hope he (Seaburge) makes the field,” Hayes told AAP.
“He looks to me as an ideal Blue Diamond horse as he gets back and finishes strongly.”
Redoute’s Choice filly Zamzam is the most fancied of the Lindsay Park Team runners in the Blue Diamond Stakes market order and is marked at $21 ahead of Valliano at $26 while Highland Beat and Seaburge are both at very long odds.
Zamzam has been to the races on two occasions for a first up win in 1000m two year old Plate at Moonee Valley on January 29 then finished ninth, three and three quarter lengths behind Samara Dancer in the Group 2 $200,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude (F) (1100m) at Caulfield on February 13.
Valliano was having his fourth race start when he resumed from a spell to record a solid two and half lengths win in the $250,000 Inglis Premier (1200m) at Caulfield on February 6.
Highland Beat is a winner of one of his five starts when he scored over 1000m at Moonee Valley on December 11.
The Exceed And Excel colt was beaten a long way two starts later when tenth to Capitalist in the $2m Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast on January 9 then then found some better form next start when second to Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Extreme Choice in the Group 3 $150,000 Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on February 6.
Caulfield trainer Mick Price has a very strong hand in the Blue Diamond Stakes and as well as saddling up the $2.75 favourite Extreme Choice, also has the $3.50 second pick Flying Artie going around.
Flying Artie put himself into Blue Diamond Stakes contention with a come from behind win in the Group 3 $200,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (1100m) at Caulfield on February 13.
Blue Diamond Stakes market order: $2.75 Extreme Choice, $3.50 Flying Artie, $8 Concealer, $8.50 Samara Dancer, $13 Star Turn, $17 Miss Nymeria, $21 Zamzam, $26 Power Trip, Revolving Door, Valliano.
