Victoria's No.1 trainer Peter Moody believes this year's Blue Diamond Stakes is wide open, adding the favourite for the state's richest two-year-old race is unlikely to emerge until after the running of Saturday's preludes.
At first glance Moody does not look to have a strong hand in this year's Group One race - which will be run at Caulfield on February 20 - in stark contrast to his gun stable of older horses including Black Caviar, Avenue, Headway and champion mare Typhoon Tracy, who will resume in Saturday's Group One weight-for-age Orr Stakes over 1400 metres at Caulfield.
The two Diamond preludes - one for the two year-old fillies and other for the colts and geldings (both run over 1100 metres) - will be the main support races on Saturday to the Orr Stakes and Moody believes the Diamond picture will become a lot clearer afterwards.
This time last year there was also no clear Blue Diamond favourite before Moody ended up winning the race with Reward for Effort, which had only had one start before winning the Diamond preview before running second in his prelude before then winning the big one at the generous odds of $15.
"It's been that way a little bit for the last few years," Moody said of there being no stand-out Blue Diamond contender just weeks before the running of Victoria's most prestigious two-year-old race.
"Reward for Effort only kicked in the previews and the preludes and you would to have say there hasn't been a standout horse (this year) to this point in time."
"So that gives everyone a fleeting hope that we are still a chance of being there."
Moody's main Blue Diamond chance this year will be in action on Saturday in filly Panipique, which won smartly on debut at Moonee Valley on January 15.
But Moody says she will have to perform well on Saturday to warrant running in the Blue Diamond in a fortnight.
"She won well at Moonee Valley first-up and I expect her to run well on Saturday," Moody said of Panipique, which will be ridden by Craig Newitt.
"She has improved nicely off that run but she would have to run well on Saturday to even warrant a run (in the Blue Diamond)."
Moody's only other possible Blue Diamond runner is another filly in Willow Creek but Moody admits she will be struggling to win enough prizemoney to scrape into the field given she has not been entered for the preludes.
"Willow Creek didn't have much luck on Saturday but I won't run her before the Blue Diamond," he said.
"I am doubtful she will have enough (prize) money to get into the race but I think she is certainly a filly that would be capable of performing well (in the race) if she got there."
The current Blue Diamond favourite is Secession - which will be in action at Caulfield on Saturday and will run in the colts and gelding prelude immediately following the fillies' prelude.
The Peter Snowden trained colt - which is by champion sire Lonhro - will be first-up having not raced since an impressive win on debut in the listed Merson Cooper Stakes over 1000 metres back in mid-November on Sandown Classic Day.