ALTHOUGH trainer Mick Price has the top two favourites for the Blue Diamond Stakes with Guest House and Big Sky, he’s making it clear he has a preference between the pair.
Price is deferring to Guest House, who will run in the Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield on Saturday for colts and geldings, as the better of his and Michael Kent Junior’s chances in Melbourne’s premier two-year-old event.
Guest House is $4 for the Blue Diamond Stakes on February 21 with Unibet and Big Sky is $4.60.
Even after Big Sky demolished his rivals in the Chairman’s Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday with a sustained showing of speed and brilliance, Price talked up Guest House afterwards.
Guest House has had one start for a win at Cranbourne over 1000m on December 27.
“My feel is that Guest House is a better horse. He’s a really good horse and he has a very good capacity about him,” Price said.
Co-trainer Michael Kent Junior said Guest House has a lot going for him.
“He’s a real two-year-old. He’s 16.1 hands, he’s all muscle and bone and he’s sound and he’s got a very good temperament,” Kent Junior said.
Big Sky led throughout and then sprinted away to win by three lengths, recording the fourth fastest last 200m for the day of 11.73 seconds without being pushed out.
Kent Junior said on RSN that the best part of Big Sky’s win was the acceleration he showed over the last 200m and he can’t see a reason why he won’t run out a strong 1200m.
The Blue Diamond Preludes will feature several promising two-year-olds who are being aimed at the Blue Diamond Stakes.
These include the brilliant winner of a Caulfield Heath trial last week, Closer To Free, who has subsequently been sold by trainer Adrian Corboy to owner Sean Buckley, who has sent him to Danny O’Brien and he will run in the Blue Diamond Prelude.
The quinella in last year’s Merson Cooper Stakes, Eternal Warrior and Stretan Ruler, will run in the colts and geldings Prelude, as will High Alert, who was unlucky in the Blue Diamond Preview.
The filly’s division has several undefeated runners contesting it, including Moana Spirit, Calamari Ring, Rubi’s Choice, Tough Spirit and Jacaranda.
