The Powerful Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable will saddle up six juveniles in the 2020 Group 1 $1.5m Ned Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday following the release of the final field today.
Away Game, above, is one of six runners in the 2020 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield for trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. Photo by Steve Hart.
Magic Millions 2yo Classic winner Away Game heads up the Maher and Eustace Team that also includes Ideas Man, Rathlin, Tanker, A Beautful Night and Munraseera in the sixteen horse Blue Diamond Stakes field.
In-form Melbourne jockey Jye McNeil will be the third rider in three starts for Away Game after Luke Currie steered her to victory in the $2m The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast on January 11 and then English jockey Tom Marquand claimed the spoils in winning the Group 3 $160,000 Widden Stakes (1100m) at Randwick on February 1.
Marquand became unavailable for the ride on Away Game after he headed back home to England this week while Currie will be aboard the Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Hanseatic for trainer Anthony Freedman.
Freedman and Currie are looking to score back to back wins in the Blue Diamond Stakes after combining to win with Lyre twelve months ago.
Hanseatic remains undefeated from three starts after running down the Peter and Paul Snowden trained Rulership to win the Group 3 $200,000 Neds Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (1100m) at Caulfield on February 8 and the pair will clash again in Saturday’s $1.5m feature for the two year olds.
“He (Hanseatic) is a hot horse but that was the first time I saw him the other day but I know he’s definitely got talent to be able to do what he did,” Peter Snowden told Racenet.
“He’ll (Rulership) get a lot of benefit out of seeing Caulfield. Not just that but getting another run and (jockey) Mark (Zahra) has a feel for him now, which is good.
“He’s got a good demeanour and he’s going to give himself every chance to run the trip because he doesn’t pull. He switches off.
“His biggest attribute is his demeanour.”
Henseatic heads the Blue Diamond Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au at $2.30 ahead of Rulership at $6 and the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young trained Letzbeglam at $8.50.
Betting for the 2020 Blue Diamond Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.30 Hanseatic, $6 Rulership, $8.50 Letzbeglam, $10 Muntaseera, $11 Away Game, $15 Rathlin, $16 Tagaloa, $17 Personal, $26 Aryaaf, $34 A Beautiful Night, $41 Tanker, $51 Ideas Man, Riverina Storm, $81 Glenfiddich, $101 Fayerra, $201 Difficult.
Final field for the 2020 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m)
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Weight | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1×5 | IDEAS MAN | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Damian Lane | 56.5kg | 72 |
| 2 | 1×11 | HANSEATIC | Anthony Freedman | Luke Currie | 56.5kg | 84 |
| 3 | 72163 | RATHLIN | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Ben Melham | 56.5kg | 74 |
| 4 | 15×86 | TANKER | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | John Allen | 56.5kg | 72 |
| 5 | 31×4 | TAGALOA | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Michael Walker | 56.5kg | 70 |
| 6 | 12 | RULERSHIP | Peter & Paul Snowden | Mark Zahra | 56.5kg | 76 |
| 7 | 59×25 | GLENFIDDICH | Robbie Griffiths | Glen Boss | 56.5kg | 67 |
| 8 | 4111 | AWAY GAME | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Jye McNeil | 54.5kg | 78 |
| 9 | 2116 | A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Ms Linda Meech | 54.5kg | 76 |
| 10 | 1×2 | ARYAAF | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Luke Nolen | 54.5kg | 78 |
| 11 | 11 | LETZBEGLAM | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Brett Prebble | 54.5kg | 76 |
| 12 | 21×2 | MUNTASEERA | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Damien Oliver | 54.5kg | 72 |
| 13 | 21 | PERSONAL | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Craig Williams | 54.5kg | 68 |
| 14 | 14 | RIVERINA STORM | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Dwayne Dunn | 54.5kg | 63 |
| 15 | 44 | FAYERRA | Anthony Cummings | Michael Dee | 54.5kg | 62 |
| 16 | 8×6 | DIFFICULT | John Moloney | Jordan Childs | 54.5kg | 60 |
The post Maher and Eustace have 6 runners in 2020 Blue Diamond Stakes field appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au.
