2018 Ladbrokes Chairman’s Stakes Field & Odds

A field of potential Blue Diamond Stakes contenders face off at Caulfield Racecourse on Saturday in the Ladbrokes Chairman’s Stakes 2018, betting for which is led by the unraced Sunset Watch.

Last year’s Ladbrokes Chairman’s Stakes winner Formality (pictured) ran third to stablemate Catchy in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

One of two features on the Caulfield card this weekend, the Group 3 $150,000 Ladbrokes Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) is set to run as Race 2 at 1:05pm (AEDT) and features nine two-year-olds.

Many of the juveniles in the set weights plus penalties clash are hoping to race their way into the Group 1 $1.5 million Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) back at the track on February 24.

The Chairman’s Stakes form as stacked up in the Blue Diamond Stakes many times in recent years including in 2016 when Extreme Choice did the double.

Last season’s Chairman’s Stakes winner meanwhile was the Lindsay Park-trained filly Formality who went on to finish third to her stablemate Catchy next-up in the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes results.

Currently sitting at a quote of $3.80 in Chairman’s Stakes odds at race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au, Saturday’s favourite Sunset Watch is prepared by Team Hawkes.

Dwayne Dunn rides the colt on debut from the outside barrier (nine) and Sunset Watch is being kept safe in betting despite coming into the race without an official trial.

Second favourite in Ladbrokes Chairman’s Stakes betting and a $26 chance in the pre-field Blue Diamond Stakes odds is the Godolphin-raced Lonhro colt Encryption.

Last October the galloper debuted with a close third to Qafila in the Listed Debutant Stakes (1000m) at the Caulfield track before a second to Run Naan in the Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Flemington in November.

First-up on Saturday Encryption reunites with Damian Lane who has been aboard for both the two-year-old’s career starts and jumps from barrier four.

A further three of the Chairman’s Stakes hopefuls are also under $10 for the win including the rails-drawn Of Importance ($6) for dual Blue Diamond Stakes winning trainer Mick Price.

Price prepared the aforementioned Extreme Choice for his Chairman’s Stakes – Blue Diamond double win in 2016 and also took out the Group 1 back in 2012 with the filly Samaready.

This Saturday the Caulfield-based trainer saddles-up three Ladbrokes Chairman’s Stakes horses with Not A Single Doubt filly Of Importance the best fancied of the trio.

Star hoop Damien Oliver rides the unraced filly on debut from barrier one.

Price’s other chances are Prairie Fire ($11) and No Time Like Now ($16) who both also debut in the Group 3.

Rounding out the single-figure fancies meanwhile are the Tony McEvoy-trained Snitzel colt Logan River ($7) and Ennis Hill ($7.50).

Logan River has had two runs to date back in December, the latest at Randwick in the Inglis Nursery (1000m) where he ran two and a half-lengths back sixth to Irish Bet.

He also has form around the promising Written By when runner-up at Sandown on debut on a Heavy (8) track.

Ennis Hill represents last year’s Blue Diamond winning Lindsay Park stable, the Fastnet Rock filly looking to improve on her good fourth on debut at Caulfield over 1100m behind Ollivander from mid-December.

See below for the full MRC Chairman’s Stakes 2018 field and odds, betting for it and the upcoming Blue Diamond Stakes now open at Ladbrokes.com.au.