2013 Blue Diamond Stakes First Declarations Released

There are 506 juveniles still heading towards the Blue Diamond Stakes 2013 during the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival early next year after first declarations for the 43^rdedition of the two-year-olds’ classic were taken this week.

2012 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Samaready

The 2013 edition of the $1 million Group 1 Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) is set to light up Caulfield Racecourse on February 23.

Original Blue Diamond Stakes nominations featured 1061 yearlings back in July of this year but that figure has been reduced by more than half at first acceptance stage.

The best represented trainer in this year’s Blue Diamond Stakes first declarations is David Hayes who has 47 entries followed closely by local Caulfield-based Mick Price, who won the feature this year with his smart More Than Ready filly Samaready, with 40.

Fellow Caulfield horseman Peter Moody and the Melbourne-based Aquantia Racing are next on the leaderboard numbers-wise with 25 entries each.

Hayes, who already boasts an impressive five Blue Diamond Stakes wins, has paid up for 20 additional entries than the 27 he had still in pursuit of the race this time last year.

A notable non-acceptor for Hayes however was his Shamardal filly Bulbula who enjoyed a strong win in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m) at Sandown last Saturday on debut, the stable’s fourth Merson Cooper winning in eight years.

Hayes may be the best represented trainer but the sire with the most progeny still pursuing the Blue Diamond Stakes purse in 2013 is Fastnet Rock with 47.

More Than Ready, father of this year’s Blue Diamond winner Samaready, is next having sired 28 of the current Blue Diamond entries along with Sebring.

Blue Diamond second declarations are set to be taken on Tuesday January 8, 2013 followed by third declarations on the 29^th and then the Blue Diamond Stakes 2013 final field of acceptors will then be released on Tuesday February 19.

The bulk of the serious Blue Diamond-bound juveniles are likely to head towards the Group 1 via the traditional lead-up races with the Blue Diamond series kicking off with the 1000m, Listed Previews on Australia Day and then the 1100m, Group 3 Preludes on February 9 this coming autumn.

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