Saturday preview: six things to keep an eye on

Cover image courtesy of Racing Photos

G1 Blue Diamond S. - the rich juvenile dash

Six last-start winners contest Victoria's biggest juvenile contest with form lines from Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland converging into what promises to be an exciting event.

Favourite on the back of his dominant first-up victory in the G3 Chairman's S., Coleman (Pierata) is one of the six runners by first-season sires with his Yulong-based sire also represented by Fearless (Pierata) who was strong to the line when second in the G3 Canonbury S.

Exceed And Excel really makes his mark on this race (his daughter Eneeza coming along nicely) and two of his first-season sire sons have runners - Godolphin's Microphone and Vinery's Exceedance.

Microphone's daughter Matisse has finished off very nicely at her first two starts whilst the Exceedance pair Dublin Down (first-up off a G3 Maribyrnong Plate victory in the spring) and Flyer (a well-supported debut winner at Sandown) also display ability.

Stay Focused (Cosmic Force) has a tricky gate to deal with whilst Hayasugi (Royal Meeting {Ire}) has impressed winning two of this race's major filly lead-ups.

Three seven-figure yearlings take their place - the $1.05 million Inglis Easter purchase High Octane (Deep Field) who was luckless behind Bodyguard (I Am Invincible) last start who has been scratched from this race, the $1.1 million Magic Millions Gold Coast filly Eneeza and the second emergency Altermatum (Zoustar) who fetched $1.15 million at the Magic Millions.

Four runners are homebreds whilst the least expensive horse in contention is Hayasugi who James Bester picked up for $47,500 as a weanling.

The Danehill (USA) sireline has been the most successful in Blue Diamond history with 11 winning representatives; the most recent of those being Daumier two years ago. Five members of the line race on Saturday - the already mentioned Exceed And Excels as well as Spywire (Trapeze Artist) - grandson of the 1999 winner Redoute's Choice.

The Street Cry (Ire)-line enjoyed success last year with Little Brose (NZ) whose sire Per Incanto (USA) has Rue De Royale (NZ) carrying the no.1 saddlecloth this year - and another of his sons in Street Boss (USA) is the sire of the Godolphin homebred Traffic Warden.

As mentioned, Pierata has a couple of runners, noting that the 2019 winner Lyre (Lonhro) is the only Sir Tristram (Ire)-line horse to win a Blue Diamond. There has been just one (Alinghi in 2004) from the Encosta De Lago-line as well but it is well-represented this year by Stay Focused, High Octane, Zestiman (Zoustar) and Altermatum.

The Last Tycoon (Ire)-line has had three winners including Written By (2018) by Written Tycoon and that Champion Sire has Lady Of Camelot and Kuroyanagi running for him.

G1 Oakleigh Plate - the classy speedsters

What an honour roll this test of speed has, a race so often won by the best and fastest of the time that it has coined its own phrase... “going like an Oakleigh Plater” a saying used to describe the pacy and strong.

From its early days won by the likes of the oh so versatile champion Malua to the turn of the century which saw it won by the great mare Wakeful (Trenton {NZ}), the G1 Oakleigh Plate has always been a highlight of the summer/autumn carnival - in the last 50 years won by such great horses as Dual Choice (Showdown {GB}), Placid Ark (Arkenstone), Schillaci (Salieri {USA}) and Weekend Hussler (Hussonet {USA}).

And by a number of horses who have gone onto successful stud careers - namely Snippets, Fastnet Rock, Snitzel, Starspangledbanner and Russian Revolution.

A field of 15 face the starter on Saturday and it looks to be an even edition of the race with the sole 3-year-old contestant King's Gambit (I Am Invincible) opening up favourite. Horses of his age boast a good record in this race with the most recent young winner being Portland Sky in 2021.

He is one of the five first-uppers in the race with another of those - Benedetta (Hellbent) also in the market as she strives to further enhance the excellent record of mares in this race. As does Chain Of Lightning (Fighting Sun) who was not far away when eighth in this race (run at Sandown - and she loves Caulfield) last year.

Asfoora (Flying Artie) also races in her second Oakleigh Plate; a game third last year. She is another Caulfield specialist - four wins and two placings from six starts. And there are also several recent Caulfield stakes winners here - the G2 Rubiton S. winner Kallos (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}), the Listed Christmas S. (and G3 Standish H.) winner Sghirripa (Lonhro), the Listed Village S. winner Hypothetical (Pride Of Dubai), the Listed Alinghi S. winner Lempicka (Rich Enuff) and the Listed WJ Adams S. winner Queman (Mint Lane {USA}).

Shane and Cassie Oxlade saddle up both Sghirripa and Queman whilst also having two nice runners is the Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock stable with the in-form gallopers Najem Suhail (by the 2010 Oakleigh Plate winner Starspangledbanner) and Rey Magnerio (whos sire Magnus was placed in two runnings).

G1 Futurity S. - a one-man show?

With only two rivals to have won at the elite level, Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) looks to have this 1400-metre weight-for-age contest in his keeping - exceptionally well-placed to record his sixth Group 1 victory.

Only Attrition (Churchill {Ire}) and Dom To Shoot (Shooting To Win) are Group 1 winners, the former taking out last year's G1 Toorak H. and the latter the G1 Northerly S.

Mr Brightside is second-up into the Futurity having let down so brilliantly to claim G1 CF Orr S. victory at his first run since the spring.

First-up last time in he won the G2 Lawrence S., going right on with it next time out with a particularly tough win in the G1 Memsie S. which is - like this race - a 1400-metre weight-for-age Caulfield contest.

Mr Brightside also resumed in the CF Orr last year, finishing off strongly from the rear to run fifth. And he was second-up into the Futurity - giving his rivals a start before another big finish which saw him finish second to Alligator Blood (All Too Hard).

His overall statistics read well - he has won four of his five starts at Caulfield, five of his 10 at the 1400 metres - and all four over the trip at the track. He has been successful at three of his five second-up attempts and handles any sort of track condition... really, he is the perfect racehorse!

And his name would sit nicely alongside previous winners of this race - its honour roll inclusive of such outstanding gallopers as Eurythmic (Eudorus {GB}), Phar Lap (NZ) (Night Raid {GB}), Ajax, Bernborough, Lord (NZ) (Targui {Fr}), Todman, Aquanita, Wenona Girl (Wilkes {Fr}), Gunsynd, Manikato (Manihi), Rubiton, Vo Rogue (Ivor Prince {USA}), Zeditave, Schillaci (Salieri {USA}) and Fields Of Omagh (Rubiton).

G2 Silver Slipper S. - the Waterhouse & Bott 2-year-old juggernaut continues

The domination of this season's 2-year-old races by the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable looks set to continue in this G1 Golden Slipper S. lead-up with the trainers sending out the two highly promising horses vying for favouritism... Espionage (Zoustar) and Straight Charge (Written By).

Both horses are resuming, both are trial winners and both boast exciting pedigrees which make them valuable prospects heading towards the Slipper and beyond.

Creating a good impression when defeating Straight Charge in the G3 Breeders Plate at Randwick in late September, Espionage is a $1 million graduate of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale - a son of the dual city winner In Times Of War (Street Cry {Ire}) whose dam is the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic and dual Group winner Military Rose (General Nediym) from the prolific Summoned (Crowned Prince {USA}) family.

Gallery: Two highly promising horses vying for favouritism of the G2 Silver Slipper S.

After going close in the Breeders' Plate, Straight Charge had a break before recording an easy Randwick victory in late December. A $270,000 Magic Millions purchase for Yulong, he is out of an I Am Invincible half-sister to the Group-winning Written Tycoon gallopers Winning Rupert and Tycoon Evie.

Cylinder (Exceed And Excel) won this race last year, King's Gambit finished first and second in this race last year - going on to fill the placings in the G1 Golden Slipper S. won by Shinzo (Snitzel).

Seven Silver Slipper winners have won the Golden Slipper - Luskin Star, Baguette, Eskimo Prince (Todman), Farnan, She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain), Mossfun (Mossman) and Pierro.

And several others have gone onto further Group 1 glory - including Black Shoes (Osmunda), Triscay (Marscay), Strategic, Sovereign Slipper, Hasna (Snippets), Victory Vein (Mr Henrysee {USA}), Excellerator (Marscay), Millward (NZ) (Defensive Play {USA}), Sunlight (Zoustar), Home Affairs, Astern, Sweet Idea (Snitzel) and Melito (Redoute's Choice).

G1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic - Desert Lightning vs Puntura

There is plenty of quality to this year's running of this Group 1 1600-metre weight-for-age feature, a race which has been won by the likes of Our Poetic Prince, Rough Habit (NZ) (Roughcast {USA}), Darci Brahma (NZ), Mufhasa (NZ) (Pentire {GB}), Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) and Levante (NZ) (Proisir).

Both Desert Lightning (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai) and Puntura (NZ) (Vespa {NZ}) have been racing in flying form - the former recording dominant on-pace victories in the G1 TAB Classic and the Aotearoa Classic whilst the latter - since mid-November - has won three in a row.

Kicking off his winning run with an all-the-way success in the G3 Coupland's Bakeries Mile, he was kept on the fresh side for the G2 Manawatu Challenge S. in which he was awkwardly away - charging home late. And a month later, stepping up to the 1600 metres of the G1 Thorndon Mile, he was always travelling like the winner.

Gallery: Desert Lightning (NZ) and Puntura (NZ) have been racing in flying form, images courtesy of Race Images

Which makes this a very interesting match race - though there are others with their fair share of class; namely Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) who was unlucky in the TAB Classic before racing too keenly in a slowly run G1 Zabeel Classic, Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante) who was a game third in the G1 BCD Group Sprint and La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}) who was good late when fourth in the G2 Westbury Classic at her first run since the spring.

The 3-year-olds - stakes races in Melbourne and Sydney

There are black-type opportunities aplenty for 3-year-olds on Saturday, such as the G2 Hobartville S. at Rosehill. A number of outstanding gallopers have won this 1400-metre contest... such as Flight (Royal Step), Shannon, Hydrogen, Todman, Marscay, Lonhro, Pierro and Anamoe.

Tom Kitten (Harry Angel {Ire}) recorded extra smart final sections when resuming with a G3 Eskimo Prince S. sixth and he is going to relish a step up from 1200 metres to 1400 metres. Third that day was Encap (Capitalist) was was also warming up nicely late whilst the fifth home Celestial Legend (Dundeel {NZ}) was not in the best part of the track.

Meanwhile Ducasse (Trapeze Artist) comes off an impressive maiden win at Warwick Farm whilst the well-related Les Vampires (Pierro) from the prolific Fanfreluche (Can) (Northern Dancer {Can}) family showed a nice turn of foot under 61.5kg at Canterbury a couple of weeks ago.

Meanwhile at Caulfield the first event for the 3-year-olds is the G2 Angus Armanasco S. for the fillies. Ben Melham has won the last two editions and looks a chance to make it three in a row with Sparkling (The Autumn Sun) nicely working her way through the classes.

She has a few nice ones to beat however, Autumn Angel (The Autumn Sun) resuming off a successful spring campaign, Serasana (Snitzel) first-up off her win over the boys in the G2 Sandown Guineas and So Glamourous (So You Think {NZ}) suited up in distance.

The next race on the Caulfield card is the G3 Zeditave S. for the sprinters, a race in which Brave Mead (Brave Smash {Jpn}) should prove hard to beat on the back of his dominant all-the-way win in the G3 Manfred S. Should he succeed he will be the second winner in a row for Ciaron Maher who cheered home Recommendation (Shalaa {Ire}) last year.

Maharba (Pride Of Dubai) has jumped out nicely in preparation for his return and Don Corleone (Extreme Choice) is also capable of a good first-up performance. Raikoke (Written Tycoon) has had just the one start but was impressive leading throughout at Sandown... the two behind him finishing one/two at Sandown on Wednesday.

The G2 Autumn Classic follows the Zeditave - an 1800-metre race in which Immediacy (NZ) (Tarzino) is well-fancied having won his two starts with a bit in hand. Also vying for three in a row is Justaboom (Justify {USA}) who relished this trip at this track three weeks ago. United Kingdom (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) meanwhile has had just the one start - as an odds-on favourite at Geelong in late January looking good racing greenly whilst swamping his rivals from the rear.