by Bren O'Brien
Ruling G1 Blue Diamond S. favourite Hanseatic (Street Boss {USA}) has come up with the inside alley for Saturday's $1.5 million 2-year-old feature at Caulfield, raising more questions than answers about his prospects of winning the race.
Hanseatic has been super impressive in winning his three starts to date, sweeping home from back in the field in each of them and he is fully deserving of being a short-price favourite in Victoria's richest juvenile race.
Double-figure barriers played into his favour at his first two wins, while he and jockey Luke Currie looked in serious trouble in his most recent start in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude, after he found traffic from barrier two, only for the Godolphin colt to get to the outside and surge home for a terrific win.
Hanseatic winning the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (colts & geldings)
Currie faces the prospect of replicating that miracle against a bigger field on Saturday after the Anthony Freedman-trained galloper drew barrier one in his bid to give his owners and trainer back-to-back victories in the race after Lyre's (Lonhro) success last year.
Four of the past six winners of the race have come from wider than barrier 10, while the last horse to win it from barrier one was Miracles Of Life (Not A Single Doubt) in 2013 and before her it was Hurricane Sky (Star Watch) in 1994.
"We won't take him out of his comfort zone too much, he'll probably settle midfield. It's obviously a bigger field and he has drawn the inside, so he'll probably be on the fence for a lot of it," assistant trainer Sam Freedman said.
"We won't take him out of his comfort zone too much, he'll probably settle midfield." - Sam Freedman
"There looks to be good speed drawn out wide so that looks in his favour, they'll hopefully spread out a bit."
Bookmakers reacted by slightly easing Hanseatic's price to $2.40, but he still remains a clear top pick from the colt he ran down in the Prelude, Rulership (I Am Invincible), who will come from barrier seven.
But co-trainer Peter Snowden does not expect Rulership to be ridden as forward as he was when the pair last met.
"He's just a real natural colt and it was only his second start in his life. He was always going to improve from it, through fitness and experience," he told Sky Racing Radio.
"We don't have to turn a lot around. He wasn't beaten by a very big margin. I think what will help him is that he's a very relaxed horse. I'm very doubtful he will lead and I'd like him to take a sit off the speed and be the ambusher rather than the ambushee."
I'd like him to take a sit off the speed and be the ambusher rather than the ambushee." - Peter Snowden
The winner of the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude for fillies, Letzbeglam (Snitzel), has drawn barrier three, having overcome barrier nine and a wide run throughout to win with authority last time out.
She also has versatility having shown with her debut win at Werribee that she can set the pace.
Letzbeglam winning the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (fillies)
The in-form Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable, who have dominated 2-year-old racing up the eastern seaboard this season, have a remarkable six horses in the field.
Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YO Classic winner Away Game (Snitzel) has drawn barrier 10, while Rathlin (Fastnet Rock), who was sixth in the Magic Millions and then third behind Hanseatic in the Colts Prelude, is on her outside in barrier 11.
Inglis Banner winner Ideas Man (Brazen Beau), will have to overcome the widest barrier of 16, with stablemates Tanker (Pride Of Dubai) (12) and Muntaseera (I Am Invincible) (13) also drawn deep.
The G3 Blue Diamond Preview winning filly A Beautiful Night (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) is the only Maher and Eustace runner drawn in single figures in barrier five.
The Lindsay Park-trained trio of fillies fared considerably better with Aryaaf (Epaulette) to come from barrier eight, Personal (Fastnet Rock) from barrier five and Riverina Storm (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) six.
Final Field and Barriers for G1 Neds Blue Diamond S.
1. IDEAS MAN (Maher & Eustace), D.Lane (16) 56.5kg
2. HANSEATIC (Anthony Freedman), L.Currie (1) 56.5kg
3. RATHLIN (Maher & Eustace), B.Melham (11) 56.5kg
4. TANKER (Maher & Eustace), J.Allen (12) 56.5kg
5. TAGALOA (Busuttin & Young), M.Walker (4) 56.5kg
6. RULERSHIP (Peter & Paul Snowden), M.Zahra (7) 56.5kg
7. GLENFIDDICH (Robbie Griffiths), G.Boss (9) 56.5kg
8. AWAY GAME (Maher & Eustace), J.McNeil (10) 54.5kg
9. A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT (Maher & Eustace), L.Meech (2) 54.5kg
10. ARYAAF (Hayes, Hayes & Dabernig), L.Nolen (8) 54.5kg
11. LETZBEGLAM (Busuttin & Young), B.Prebble (3) 54.5kg
12. MUNTASEERA (Maher & Eustace), D.Oliver (13) 54.5kg
13. PERSONAL (Hayes, Hayes & Dabernig), C.Williams (5) 54.5kg
14. RIVERINA STORM (Hayes, Hayes & Dabernig) D.Dunn (6) 54.5kg
15. FAYERRA (Anthony Cummings) M.Dee (14) 54.5kg
16. DIFFICULT (John Moloney) J.Childs (15) 54.5kg
