2023 Blue Diamond Stakes preview & betting tips | February 25

The Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes is the first of three Group 1 events at Sandown on Saturday. A field of 16 two-years-olds will battle it out for the $2 million on offer. The winners of both Blue Diamond Preludes and Previews will take their spot, but in general this looks to be one of the better editions of the Blue Diamond in recent times.

2023 Blue Diamond Stakes odds

Despite coming into the race as a maiden, the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Steel City is a $5 favourite with online bookmakers based on the fact she has chased home Golden Slipper fancies Red Resistance and Learning To Fly in her two career starts. The undefeated Godolphin colt, Barber ($5.50), has been jostling with Steel City for favouritism since final field markets were released. Don Corleone ($8.50) and The Instructor ($9) are the only other runners at a single figure quote, suggesting there is plenty of value to be found in the Group 1 for juveniles.

2023 Blue Diamond Stakes speedmap

There is speed to burn in the Blue Diamond, with the likes of Zulfiqar, Exploring and The Instructor all looking to come across to the rail, whilst Party For Two and Extreme Threat will be doing their best to hold a positive position having drawn one and two respectively. Market fancies Barber and Steel City will be looking to lob midfield with cover, whilst the likes of Little Brose, De Sonic Boom and Dubenenko will be making their runs from the rear of the field.

Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for the 2023 Blue Diamond Stakes.

Blue Diamond Stakes preview & form

In what is an open edition of the Blue Diamond, we are chasing some value to an extent with WA galloper Brave Halo. If you were on Sean & Jake Casey’s colt in the Blue Diamond Prelude, it was a genuine horror show, with this son of Brave Smash running into plenty of dead ends when seemingly having plenty to offer. Traffic should be no issue this time around, having drawn out wide in barrier 16, but despite the tricky draw, we are hopeful Damien Oliver can have this guy settled in the three wide lane, with some cover. He was undefeated through three starts in his initial campaign over in Perth, so we know he has plenty of ability and at his sole start at 1100m prior to his first-up effort this campaign, he put five-lengths on his rivals in arrogant fashion to suggest 1200m should be no issue. Look for Brave Halo to be pouncing on some potentially vulnerable leaders late on.

Barber is simply the horse to beat in our eyes. His win in the Golden Gift in the spring was breathtaking and his first-up win in the Blue Diamond Prelude was workmanlike to say the least. He settled in an unnatural forward position from what we have seen and had more than enough in the tank to beat a handful of his rivals who he meets again on Saturday, including Brave Halo. This time around, with much more tactical speed in this affair, we expect Jamie Kah to have this bloke settle a few pairs back from the speed and look for a cart into the race. He has shown he possesses a blistering turn of foot and if he has taken improvement out of that first-up victory, the Barber could give Godolphin yet another winner in the Blue Diamond.

The chances are endless in this year’s Blue Diamond; Little Brose was hitting the line with great intent behind barber last time out. Party For Two looks to have a stack of ability and can only go on with her effort in the fillies Prelude. Whilst Steel City has finished second behind a couple of genuine Group 1 horses in Sydney and is a force to be reckoned with down here in Victoria.

2023 Blue Diamond Stakes selections & best bets

• 5

  BRAVE HALO

• 1

  BARBER

• 4

  LITTLE BROSE

• 11

  PARTY FOR TWO

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