History is against the Lindsay Park-trained filly Qaflia on Saturday but head trainer David Hayes has warned punters not to rule out a first-up upset in the 2018 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes by the daughter of Not A Single Doubt.
Lindsay Park-trained filly Qaflia is out to make Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes history winning the Group 1 first-up on Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Hall of Famer Hayes boasts an imposing record in the Blue Diamond Stakes having prepared six past champions of the two-years-old classic including Catchy in 2017.
He and son Ben along with fellow trainer Tom Dabernig now chase back-to-back wins in this weekend’s edition of the Group 1 $1.5 million Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1400m) having accepted for four juveniles.
Their contingent is led by undefeated Fastnet Rock colt Long Leaf who firmed into the $7 favourite in Blue Diamond Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au after his favourable gate seven draw.
Early market mover Ennis Hill ($8.50) was also a winner for the stable in Tuesday’s Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes barrier draw, the last start Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes winning filly drawn gate four as she chases the double achieved by Extreme Choice (2016) two years ago.
Also representing Lindsay Park in the capacity Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes field this Melbourne Festival of Racing are two Shadwell Stud Australasia-raced duo of Enbihaar and Qaflia.
“Angus [Gold, Shadwell Stud’s bloodstock agent] comes out every year to select their yearlings and Angus has done very well in finding the right young horses,” Hayes told Racing Victoria on Tuesday.
“This season with his fillies, I think we’ve had five individual Stakes winners for Shadwell.”
The Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum-owned Shadwell operation has enjoined a trio of Blue Diamond Stakes wins with Mahaasin (1990), Nadeem (2006) and Reaam (2008).
This weekend however is the first time the powerhouse stable has saddled-up more than one runner in the classic.
Enbihaar are Qaflia are only rated outside chances in the latest Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes odds, the fillies at $19 and $26 respectively after suffering wide barriers.
An undefeated daughter of Magnus, Enbihaar chases her third win on the trot and is out to complete the Group 2 Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude – Blue Diamond Stakes double as her stablemate Catchy did 12 months ago.
She and jockey Cory Parish however have work to do from the second widest alley (19 into 15), which Hayes said may not be such a problem at the Caulfield track over 1200m.
“Enbihaar’s drawn a bit wide but there’s only one bend,” he said.
Qaflia meanwhile is drawn barrier 16, which will become 13 if the four emergencies fail to gain a start come Caulfield Race 7 on Saturday.
She may be the longest-priced of the team’s hopefuls, but Hayes has suggested that Qaflia could just have what it takes to become the first first-up Blue Diamond Stakes winner in history.
On debut last October she won the Listed Debutant Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield before a credible fourth in the Group 3 Ottawa Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day.
She hasn’t raced since but did trial at Geelong ahead of her return when third over 1000m behind Diamond Reflection on January 29.
“[Qafila] is trying to do what no other horse has done and that is win the race first-up,” Hayes said.
“It’s hard to get your head around her as no one’s seen much of her but if you watch her Debutante win, she was outstanding and at Flemington she just got out too late.
“We set her for this race from that day at Flemington.
“She’s had the benefit of a couple of trials and an exhibition gallop and she’ll run really well.”
To back your favourites in the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes 2018 at the right price head to the race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au today.
