The clear early 2020 Blue Diamond Stakes betting favourite Hanseatic will continue his charge towards the Group 1 at the end of the month via a CF Orr Stakes Day run in Saturday’s Prelude for colts and geldings.

Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Hanseatic jumps top of the odds for the Prelude this weekend at Caulfield. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Taking place one race after the Blue Diamond Prelude for Fillies, the Group 3 $200,000 Neds Blue Diamond (C&G) over 1100m originally attracted 15 two-year-olds.

Two early scratchings leave 13 runners with the Blue Diamond Prelude odds dominated by Anthony Freedman’s undefeated favourite Hanseatic.

The talented Street Boss colt is into $2.25 through Ladbrokes.com.au to make it three-from-three on Saturday and is also leading all-in Blue Diamond Stakes betting at $3.60.

On debut he won the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes (1000m) at Sandown in November before kicking off his autumn with a brilliant 2.5 length victory in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) on January 25.

Jockey Luke Currie rode the filly Lyre to victory in last year’s Blue Diamond Stakes for Freedman and retains the ride on Hanseatic this weekend ahead of a shot at back-to-back victories in the big one on February 22.

Despite the size of the field just one other juvenile is under $10 in the latest Blue Diamond Colts & Geldings Prelude odds with market mover Rulership at $3.20.

The $5.50 second elect in pre-field Blue Diamond Stakes markets, the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained I Am Invincible colt only debuted at Randwick on January 25.

He made a big early impression carrying 58kg to a 2.3 length victory over 1000m and should enjoy the drop back to 55.5kg at set weights on Saturday.

Despite some love from the punters, co-trainer Peter Snowden has warned Rulership may be vulnerable in the Prelude this weekend having his first go at the Caulfield track.

“This will be his first start at Caulfield which is never easy but he was pretty impressive in his only start and his trials had been pretty good leading into it,” the three-time Blue Diamond winning trainer told the media.

“The favourite for the Diamond is in there so we’ll see how he measures up against him on Saturday.

“Rulership is well above average. The only thing he lacks is a bit of race experience that way, so if he gets close to Hanseatic on Saturday, you’d dare to think he would improve a bit off that in a fortnight.”

Outside of the dominant duo, the other best in the BD Prelude (C&G) markets are Group 3 placed Lord Kanaloa colt Tagaloa ($12) whose last run produced a November win at Moonee Valley and the unraced Wandjina colt Winsum ($13) on debut for Ken Keys.

Click here for the latest Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) 2020 odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 Blue Diamond C&G Prelude Field & Barriers