Barber draws well for Blue Diamond Stakes bid

A field of 16 two-year-olds will compete for the A$2 million on offer in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes on Saturday afternoon at Sandown.

A field of 16 two-year-olds will compete for the A$2 million on offer in the Group 1 on Saturday afternoon at Sandown in Melbourne, Australia.

Having drawn barrier nine, looks well placed to build on an already impressive start to his career.

The Godolphin colt returned with a gritty first-up victory in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude for the boys when getting the better of the likes of and Brave Halo, both of whom he meets once again on the weekend.

One of the biggest challenges is expected to come from the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Steel City, who comes to this event with two runner-up efforts to her name to begin her career – including when running within a length of subsequent Inglis Millennium winner Learning To Fly last time out in the Group 3 .

Peter & send Don Corleone to the Group 1 event and will be hoping their juvenile colt can bounce back from a poor showing in the Pierro 2YO Plate at Randwick on February 11 when rolled as a short-priced favourite.

Outside of Steel City, leading the fillies charge will be Exploring, who was a smart all-the-way winner in the Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude (F) after getting the better of Party For Two, Extreme Threat and Cigar Flick – all of whom she comes up against once again.

Having won three of the past four Blue Diamonds, Anthony Freedman in partnership with Sam Freedman will send Blue Diamond Preview (F) winner De Sonic Boom to Sandown to help continue the stable’s strong recent run in the race.

Meanwhile, will saddle up The Instructor – who, like race favourite Barber, will be out to defend an unbeaten career record.

Throw in the likes of Zulfiqar and Veecee, who have showed plenty to begin their respective careers, and the 2023 edition of the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes looks to be one of the more open editions in recent times.

2023 Blue Diamond Stakes final field & barriers

No.SilksHorseTrainerBarrierWeight
1SilksBarberJames CummingsJamie Kah957kg
2SilksArkansaw KidBen & JD HayesJye McNeil457kg
3SilksZulfiqarJames CummingsBen Melham1557kg
4SilksLittle BroseBen & JD HayesMichael Dee757kg
5SilksBrave HaloSean & Jake Casey1657kg
6SilksThe InstructorGai Waterhouse & Adrian BottJordan Childs657kg
7SilksVeeceeCiaron Maher & David EustaceEthan Brown1457kg
8SilksDon CorleonePeter & Paul Snowden357kg
9SilksExploringJames CummingsCraig Williams1355kg
10SilksDe Sonic BoomAnthony & Sam Freedman855kg
11SilksParty For TwoDamien BattersNikita Beriman155kg
12SilksSteel CityCiaron Maher & David EustaceBlake Shinn555kg
13SilksDubenenkoChris BiegDean Yendall1155kg
14SilksCigar FlickChris WallerCraig Newitt1855kg
15SilksPickyLeon & Troy CorstensDamien Thornton1755kg
16SilksExtreme ThreatMick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)Blaike McDougall255kg
17SilksSensical (1E)Peter MoodyDaniel Stackhouse1255kg
18SilksBeauty Rising (2E)Phillip StokesTBC1055kg

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