One of the biggest Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival meetings will bring Caulfield Racecourse to life this Saturday, the 2011 Blue Diamond Stakes Day programme featuring a cracker nine-race programme including the $180,000 Group 2 The Yalumba 162 (1800m).

Previously known as the Caulfield Autumn Classic, the 2011 Yalumba 162 final field features 11 classy three-year-olds including highest-rated entry Almindoro.

Coming up with an ideal barrier two draw for Saturday’s showdown, Steve Richards’ Redoute’s Choice gelding Almindoro is coming off a last start win over 1519m at Moonee Valley on February 11.

Having raced competitively in a number of Group races during the spring, including their close second to Retrieve in the Group 3 Norman Robinson Stakes (2000m), Almindoro looks one of the top chances for The Yalumba 162 this year.

Peter Moody, who is also lining up five runners in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate at Saturday’s Caulfield meet, has two horses engaged in The Yalumba 162 with Elusive King and Eureka Jack.

Elusive Quality gelding Elusive King has come up trumps with barrier one and will have Luke Nolen aboard while Eureka Jack jumps from gate eight ridden by Dwayne Dunn.

Other early favourites in the 2011 The Yalumba 162 field include:

• Domesky (Michael Kent) – Domesday gelding won over the mile at Mornington last start, due to be ridden by star hoop Craig Williams but drawn wide in barrier 10

• Meaisin (Danny O’Brien) – Improving son of Zabeel has the breeding of a stayer, distance suites ideally and they have a good barrier three draw for their black-type debut here

• Clemente (Mick Price) – Lightly-raced Red Ransom colt having just their fourth race start has potential to Place at good odds through Luxbet

The 2011 The Yalumba 162 Autumn Classic is set to run as Caulfield Race 4 on Saturday.

Betting on all the Blue Diamond Stakes Day features will open shortly at Luxbet so sign up with this Tabcorp-owned bookie today for access to the best horse racing odds!

2011 The Yalumba 162 Field, Barriers & Weights

#	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight (kg)	Hcp. Rating
1	ALMINDORO	Steve Richards	Steven King	2	55.5	72
2	DOMESKY	Michael Kent	Craig Williams	10	55.5	68
3	KIM DIVINE	Bart Cummings	Corey Brown	3	55.5	70
4	MEAISIN (NZ)	Danny O’Brien	Glen Boss	5	55.5	68
5	ELUSIVE KING	Peter G Moody	Luke Nolen	1	55.5	67
6	FOLDING GEAR (NZ)	Lee & Shannon Hope	Ben Melham	4	55.5	66
7	EUREKA JACK	Peter G Moody	Dwayne Dunn	8	55.5	61
8	I THINK I DO	Bart Cummings	Steven Arnold	11	55.5	66
9	CLEMENTE	Mick Price	Damien Oliver	9	55.5	62
10	MUIRFIELD (NZ)	Michael Moroney	Michael Rodd	6	55.5	62
11	SECOND DRAW	John P Thompson	James Winks	7	53.5	66

Photo courtesy (c) Taron Clarke Photography