3 minute read

With the Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield fast approaching, now is the time for the two-year-olds to begin putting their hands up for a start in the Group 1 contest.

One step towards Melbourne's prestigious two-year-old event, over 1200m on February 20, is the Blue Diamond Previews (1000m), one for fillies and one for colts and geldings, run at Caulfield on Tuesday. 

However, programming brought about by the introduction of The All-Star Mile at The Valley on March 13, has brought forward the date of the Blue Diamond. 

February 20 is the earliest it has been run. Tagaloa  last year and Earthquake in 2014 won the race on February 22 while Pride Of Dubai (2015) won the race on February 28.  

Sam Freedman, who trains in partnership with his father Anthony, noted that the earlier date makes it tough to run in the Previews and Preludes while still heading to the Group 1 feature. 

"They either stand up or they don't and if they fail, we tip them out and bring them back after the main two-year-old races," Freedman said. 

"We put through around 50 two-year-olds and we earmark nine or 10 to see whether they can do it at the right time. 

"We're not ones to keep throwing one at the stumps and hope that they turn it on." 

The Freedman stable run debut Flemington winner Frost Flowers in the fillies division and Midwest  in the 'boys' heat on Tuesday. 

"She'll run very well," Freedman said of Frost Flowers . 

"I think the gap between runs suits her as there's not much of her. 

"She's fit and forward and holds her condition well. She's drawn a nice gate and should get a lovely run just behind the speed. 

"Grahame Begg's two-year-old (Dosh) has trialled really well and was impressive on debut, so of the raced brigade, they are probably the two. 

"It's always hard with two-year-olds at this time of the year but she's showing traits that she should be able to keep progressing to the Blue Diamond." 

Freedman said Midwest would ideally be kicking off in the country if there was a suitable race around. 

"He is a nice horse, has done everything right," Freedman said. 

"With a horse like him we'd normally go to the country, but the races are just too close together. 

"It's 12 days from the Prelude to the Preview and two weeks to the Blue Diamond. He can run on Tuesday and then we can decide what we do."