Mornington Peninsula-based trainer Dean Binaisse is already dreaming of a Blue Diamond Stakes 2015 win next autumn after nominating for a singular colt when early nominations for the Caulfield classic were taken this week.

There are officially 1205 yearlings making up the nominations for this season’s $1 million Group 1 Sportingbet Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) held next Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival on Saturday February 28, 2015.

That figure is up 178 on nominations for this year’s race, and is dominated by the country’s big racing powerhouses and stables.

Darley Australia (77), who has secured two of the past four Blue Diamond Stakes with Sepoy (2011) and Earthquake (2013), dominate the nominations numbers-wise.

Among their headline yearlings is a sister to 2012 Caulfield Guineas winner Helmet named Pearls, a half-sibling to 2012 Golden Slipper champion Pierro and prodigy out of Burst who won the 1992 Golden Slipper.

But there are also a handful of trainers with just one hopeful in the mix.

One of those is Binaisse who paid the throwaway $330 nomination fee to enter his Equiano colt out of Stings who is yet to be named.

An $87,500 buy from this year’s Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, Binaisse is hoping the up-and-comer turns out to be a good a racehorse as they are showing the early signs of being.

“We won’t push him and will see how he goes,” he told Racing Victoria.

“So far so good, though. He’s just done everything that easy and he’s been really been impressive.”

Also just with the one chance to become next year’s winning Blue Diamond Stakes trainer/s are the likes of Russell Cameron (Flemington), Peter Gelagotis (Moe), Richard Jolly (Morphettville), Dan O’Sullivan (Ballarat), Colin & Cindy Alderson (Cranbourne) and Jamie Edwards & Bruce Elkington (Geelong).

It’s a chance worth taking to throw their rising two-year-olds into the mix now to avoid the late entry fee if their youngster does prove a genuine Blue Diamond hope once they start racing according to Binaisse.

“We just pick the typical, most forward one that looks like he will race early,” he said.

“They’re babies, they’re a day-to-day proposition – most horses are, but even more so two-year-olds.”

The most successful Blue Diamond Stakes winning trainer to date is David Hayes with five victories who is back this season nominating for 66 chances.

Also well represented is Gai Waterhouse, trainer of last year’s Golden Slipper winner Overeach, with 74.

Waterhouse may have enjoyed five Slipper wins over the years, but she’s yet to win a Blue Diamond.

A brother to her most recent Golden Slipper winner Overreach called Outreach is among the notable Blue Diamond entries this season.

Other well-bred entries with famous siblings include a half-brother to Sepoy prepared by Hawkes Racing who won this year’s Slipper with Mossfun, while a half-brother to Mossfun is also in the mix for the Blue Diamond next February.

Stay tuned to Races.com.au over the coming months for all the latest on the Blue Diamond Stakes-bound youngsters, cut to a final field on February 24 incurring a $55,000 payment from connections.

In the meantime there are plenty of other Group 1 races coming up during the spring to enjoy so visit Ladbrokes.com.au to check out the futures markets and get in on the action.