Victoria’s premier race for two-year-olds runs at Caulfield Racecourse this weekend with the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes 2018, a comprehensive form guide analysis and betting preview for the classic found below.

Ennis Hill is out to be the sixth Blue Diamond Stakes winner from barrier four since 1983 in the 2018 Ladbrokes-sponsored edition this weekend. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

It is a typically strong edition of the Group 1 $1.5 million Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) featuring a capacity line-up of top juveniles.

The Blue Diamond Stakes has been a favourites’ race in the past seven years with the punters’ pick getting the job done five times and this weekend it is the Lindsay Park-trained Long Leaf out to continue the trend.

One of four in the mix for last year’s winning stable and a chance for co-trainer David Hayes to take his record in the race up to seven victories overall, the undefeated Fastnet Rock colt is the firming $6.50 favourite in the latest Blue Diamond Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.

He has been freshened-up since his January win the in the Blue Diamond Preview and hasn’t let anyone down yet.

The next best fancied occupying the second line of Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes betting at $7.50 is the Tony McEvoy-trained filly Oohood.

She was runner-up to Long Leaf last November in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m) before two more placings in the BD Preview (3^rd) and BD Prelude (2^nd) for fillies this time in.

The Blue Diamond C&G Prelude runner-up Plague Stone, also after his maiden turf triumph, is the $8 third favourite for Godolphin drawn one on the inside of Long Leaf (7) in barrier six.

There is also early money for Lindsay Park’s Chairman’s Stakes winning filly Ennis Hill ($8.50) who is after the double achieved by the Mick Price-trained Extreme Choice (2016) only two years ago.

To uncover any value in the markets this year, check out our full Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes 2018 form guide and betting statistics below.

2018 Blue Diamond Stakes Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s Blue Diamond Stakes winner was the Lindsay Park-trained filly Catchy (2017) coming off a lead-up win in the Prelude and saluting from barrier 11 (of 14) as a $4.75 chance in betting with Craig Williams in the saddle
• The Lindsay Park team return chasing successive Blue Diamond wins this season with: #1 Long Leaf ($6.50), #10 Enbihaar ($20), #13 Ennis Hill ($8.50) and #15 Qaflia ($26)
• Lindsay Park’s head trainer David Hayes has prepared a total of six Blue Diamond Stakes winners over his career
• The other previous Blue Diamond Stakes winning trainers with a starter on Saturday are Mick Price chasing his third win with #4 Prairie Fire ($9) and Matthew Ellerton who co-trains #5 Ollivander ($26) with Simon Zahra
• Last year’s winning jockey Craig Williams chases successive Blue Diamond wins this year partnering #11 Kinky Boom ($9)
• The other previous Blue Diamond Stakes winning hoops with a ride on the weekend are: dual champ Kerrin McEvoy partnering the favourite #1 Long Leaf ($6.50), Luke Nolen on #14 Crossing The Abbey ($34) and Dwayne Dunn who partnered four winners on the trot from 2005-08 aboard #15 Qaflia ($26) this season

• Favourites have won the Blue Diamond Stakes five times in the past seven years; #1 Long Leaf ($6.50) is the best in betting for 2018
• Star Witness ($10 in 2010) was the last double-figure Blue Diamond Stakes winner eight years ago
• The other single-figure hopefuls in Blue Diamond betting this year are: #16 Oohood ($7.50), #8 Plague Stone ($8), #13 Ennis Hill ($8.50), #11 Kinky Boom ($9) and #4 Prairie Fire ($9)
• In the last six years fillies have won the Blue Diamond Stakes four times including last year with Catchy (2017)
• There are 10 fillies accepted into the race this year, seven confirmed a run plus three of the four emergencies, with the best fancied being #16 Oohood ($7.50), #13 Ennis Hill ($8.50) and #11 Kinky Boom ($9)

• The past two Blue Diamond Stakes winners saluted from barrier 11; #20e Melveen (11) is drawn the gate this year but it will be #11 Kinky Boom (14) coming into the barrier if the four emergencies fail to gain a start
• The most successful Blue Diamond Stakes barrier producing five wins (since 1983) is barrier four drawn this year by #13 Ennis Hill

• Seven of the past eight Blue Diamond Stakes winners came off a lead-up victory
• The lead-up winners confirmed a start in the Blue Diamond Stakes field for 2018 are: #1 Long Leaf, #2 Written By, #4 Prairie Fire, #10 Enbihaar, #11 Kinky Boom, #12 Lady Horseowner and #13 Ennis Hill
• #1 Long Leaf (Blue Diamond C&G Preview, 27/01/2018) is out to be the first winner to come off a non-February lead-up since Miracles Of Life (2013)
• #12 Lady Horseowner ($19) is after the same result having won this year’s Blue Diamond Fillies Preview
• #2 Written By ($10) chases the BD Prelude (C&G) – Blue Diamond Stakes double for the first time since Sepoy (2011)
• #4 Prairie Fire ($9) drawn the rails is after the Talindert Stakes – Blue Diamond double on the seven day turnaround for the first time since Star Witness (2010)
• #10 Enbihaar ($20) drawn wide has the chance to emulate her stablemate Catchy (2017) doing the BD Prelude (F) – Blue Diamond Stakes double
• #13 Ennis Hill ($8.50) is after the Chairman’s Stakes – Blue Diamond Stakes double at Caulfield last completed by Extreme Choice (2016)
• The highest Win Rate of the field belongs to the five undefeated runners: #1 Long Leaf, #2 Written By, #10 Enbihaar, #11 Kinky Boom and #12 Lady Horseowner all boasting a 100% strike rate
• The previous winners at the Caulfield track are: #1 Long Leaf (1:1-0-0), #2 Written By (1:1-0-0), #5 Ollivander (3:1-1-0), #10 Enbihaar (1:1-0-0), #11 Kinky Boom (1:1-0-0), #12 Lady Horseowner (1:1-0-0), #13 Ennis Hill (2:1-0-0) and #15 Qaflia (1:1-0-0)
• #11 Kinky Boom (1:1-0-0) is the only chance in the race with previous winning form over the 1200m distance

Stay tuned for our exclusive Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes 2018 tips, checking out the comprehensive race form guide courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au below in the meantime.