Two-time winning trainer Mick Price has labelled his 2018 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes runner Prairie Fire as a “surprise packet” and is looking forward to Saturday’s feature race at Caulfield.

Prairie Fire is the sole runner for dual winning trainer Mick Price in the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes 2018 field this weekend in Melbourne. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The local horseman has prepared two previous winners of the two-years-old classic with the filly Samaready (2012) and most recently Extreme Choice (2016) who both saluted for the Blue Diamond punters.

This autumn it is another typically strong edition of the Group 1 $1.5 million Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m), in which Price is represented by the progressive Prairie Fire.

A nicely-bred son of Snitzel, the colt has had two runs this month and is on the short seven day turnaround for his Group 1 test.

On debut he finished just under three lengths back for third behind the Lindsay Park-trained filly Ennis Hill in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) on February 3, the race Extreme Choice won on way to his Blue Diamond success two years ago.

Then last Saturday Price took Prairie Fire to Flemington and raced him in the Listed Talindert Stakes (1100m), success in which has seen the youngster make the capacity Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes field.

“He’s done really well – he’s a little surprise packet that horse, because before his first run, I didn’t have much of a rating on him, and something had to run third in that race [Chairman’s Stakes],” Price told Racing Victoria.

So impressed was jockey Mark Zahra with the horse’s efforts last Saturday, that he got a release from the Godolphin stable for whom he was meant to ride Plague Stone in the Blue Diamond.

Instead he retains the ride on the Sun Stud-raced Prairie Fire who was the big winner on Tuesday’s Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes barrier draw coming up with the inside alley.

Price goes into the Group 1 on Saturday with a bit of confidence off Prairie Fire’s lead-up win and said the addition of blinkers had really sharpened the juvenile up.

“Blinkers on, the benefit of a run, a bit of adrenaline pumped through him, he’s really switched on now,” Price said.

“I think what you saw in the Talindert was a pretty professional horse, especially down the straight.

“He popped out early enough, and hit the line well in the blinkers.

“I think he’ll put two runs together, the little surprise packet.”

Prairie Fire is out to do the Talindert Stakes – Blue Diamond Stakes double last completed by the Danny O’Brien-trained Star Witness (2010).

The latest Blue Diamond Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au list Prairie Fire as a $9 shot, one of seven single-figure fancies in markets led by the undefeated Lindsay Park-trained Fastnet Rock colt Long Leaf (barrier seven) at $7.

To check out the updated Blue Diamond 2018 betting markets and lock in your selections at the right price visit Ladbrokes.com.au today.