The confirmed 2018 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes barriers have been announced ahead of the premier Melbourne race for juveniles on Saturday and Plague Stone was a big winner in gate six.

Last weekend’s Talidert Stakes winner Prairie Fire is drawn the inside barrier for the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes 2018 on Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

A capacity field of two-year-olds take to the Caulfield track this weekend in the Group 1 $1.5 million Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) including Plague Stone for the powerhouse Godolphin stable.

The James Cummings-trained Lonhro colt shares the top line of Blue Diamond Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $7 for the win despite being a maiden heading into the classic.

He has run second in both career starts to date, the latest finishing a half-length off the winner in the Group 3 Blue Diamond C&G Prelude (1100m) on February 10.

In a nice boost for his winning hopes in the big one on the weekend, Plague Stone drew barrier six in on Tuesday morning.

One on his outside in gate seven is one of four chances for last year’s winning stable Lindsay Park, the unbeaten Long Leaf set to get a gun run with dual Blue Diamond winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle.

Head trainer David Hayes has prepared six Blue Diamond Stakes winners including Catchy last autumn and Long Leaf has subsequently firmed into the $7 co-favourite for this year’s edition.

Long Leaf is three-from-three after his Listed Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) success in late January and comes into the race fresh on the weekend.

The Lindsay Park contingent had mixed luck in the Blue Diamond barriers with the stable’s undefeated filly Enbihaar drawing the second widest gate (19 into 15).

Punters only have to look back four years however to find the last Blue Diamond Stakes winner from the alley when the Peter Snowden-trained filly Earthquake saluted form 15 of 16 in 2014.

Like Earthquake, Enbihaar comes off a lead-up win in the Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) and she will be out to do the double also achieved by her stablemate Catchy 12 months ago.

Also suffering wide Blue Diamond Stakes barrier draws for the weekend were the Grahame Begg-trained Blue Diamond C&G Prelude winner Written By (18) and Darren Weir’s first ever starter in the race Native Solider (20).

Set to jump from barrier 16 of 16 come Saturday, well-bred Sepoy colt Native Soldier enjoyed back-to-back wins before his third in the Prelude behind Written By.

One-time favourite Kinky Boom has also eased in the markets after her wide gate 14 allocation.

The inside Blue Diamond Stakes barrier last produced a winner in Miracles Of Life back in 2013 and belongs on Saturday to Prairie Fire.

A $10 chance in Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes betting, consistent Snitzel colt Prairie Fire is the sole runner for trainer Mick Price whose previous victories in the race came with Samaready (2012) and Extreme Choice (2016).

After a third on debut at the start of the month in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (1000m), the improving Prairie Fire broke his maiden status last Saturday in the Listed Talindert Stakes (1100m) and is on the quick back-up.

Jockey Mark Zahra has ridden the Sun Stud-raced Prairie Fire for both his starts this season and retains the mount on Saturday after being released by Godolphin from the ride on Plague Stone.

“I was on Plague Stone (but) obviously I do a lot of my riding for Sun Stud and they’ve been very good to me,” Zahra told RSN927.

“So after Prairie Fire won and got in I had to sort of beg James Cummings if I could stick to Sun Stud and he was very good and let me off.

“I’m on Prairie Fire now. I’m happy enough to be on him.”

See below for the full Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes 2018 Barrier Draw before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au for updated odds on the weekend’s headline race.

2018 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes Barriers

Caulfield Racecourse – 24/02/2018