Undefeated colts Long Leaf and Run Naan are among the nominations for the Listed $150,000 Blue Diamond Preview (C&G) (1000m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Run Naan, above in yellow colours, is among the nominations for the Colts and Geldings Blue Diamond Preview at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Fourteen two-year-old colts and geldings have been nominated for the Blue Diamond Preview with the Melbourne Racing Club extending the entry deadline until 10am on Tuesday January 23, 2018
As well as Long Leaf, a winner of his two race starts, the Lindsay Park Team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig have also nominated the unraced I Am Invincible colt Ben Hercules.
Long Leaf scoredd a nose win on debut over 1000m at Morphettville at the end of October and then scored by the same margin in the Listed $120,000 Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m) at Ladbrokes Park Hillside at Sandown on November 18.
The Tony McEvoy trained Run Naan is also undefeated from two starts with wins in a 1000m Bendigo two year old maiden on October 21 and in the Group 3 $150,000 AAMI Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Flemington o the last day of the 2017 four day Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Ollivander from the stable of Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra stable, is the winner of his only race start in a 1100m two year old plate at Caulfield on December 116.
Leading Victorian trainer Darren Weir has only one nomination in the Blue Diamond Preview for the colts and geldings, the son of Sepoy, Native Soldier.
Native Soldier has had three race starts and broke through for his initial win last start in an 1100m two year maiden at Geelong on Boxing Day.
A win by either Long Leaf or Run Naan would propel them up the market order for the Group 1 $1.5m Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 24.
Long Leaf is currently marked at $21 at Ladbrokes.com.au with Run Naan at $26 while the Team Hawkes trained Estijaab sits at the top of the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes betting at $11.
Nominations for the Blue Diamond Preview for the Colts and Geldings
| # | Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | BEN HERCULES | C | 2 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 2 | 9x | BOLD TYPE | C | 2 | John McArdle |
| 3 | – | FANDRAL | C | 2 | Peter Gelagotis |
| 4 | – | HALVORSEN | C | 2 | Robbie Griffiths |
| 5 | – | IGNITER | C | 2 | Robbie Griffiths |
| 6 | 9x | INVINCIBLE LAD | C | 2 | Peter & Paul Snowden |
| 7 | – | JOHN BOOKE | C | 2 | Robbie Griffiths |
| 8 | 11x | LONG LEAF | C | 2 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
| 9 | – | MAGNOSSIVA | C | 2 | Robbie Griffiths |
| 10 | 561 | NATIVE SOLDIER | C | 2 | Darren Weir |
| 11 | 1 | OLLIVANDER | C | 2 | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra |
| 12 | – | ROBE DE FETE | C | 2 | Robbie Griffiths |
| 13 | 11x | RUN NAAN | C | 2 | Tony McEvoy |
| 14 | 3 | TEMPLAR | C | 2 | Michelle Payne |
