Blue Diamond Stakes attracts record 947 first nominations
The Melbourne Racing Club closed the first round of nominations for the 2023 Blue Diamond Stakes earlier this week, as we are now only three months away from the premier two-year-old race in Victoria.
The Melbourne Racing Club received a record 947 nominations for the $1.5 million race, to be run on February 25 at Sandown Lakeside as Caulfield will be closed for renovations.
Melbourne’s leading training partnership, Ciaron Maher & David Eustace, hold the most nominations with 86 runners in total.
James Cummings for Godolphin (66), Annabel Neasham (66) and Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr (64) are the only other trainers that have over 60 entries for the two-year-old feature early next year.
There are early season two-year-old winners littered through the nominations, with Zulfiqar, Charm Stone, Remedies, Krakarib, King’s Gambit and Barber all nominated for the 1200m Group 1.
There was only one first late entry added to the original list from Amy & Ash Yargi for their colt Gangitano, which will cost connections $5,500.
Anthony & Sam Freedman will be looking to complete a hat-trick of wins in 2023 after winning the feature two-year-old race with Daumier (2021) and Artorius (2020).
Connection will have until 12pm on January 3 to lodge their second acceptances.