Jockey Luke Currie eyes third Blue Diamond success with Anthony and Sam Freedman

Two-time Blue Diamond-winning jockey Luke Currie rates his mount as the filly most likely to upstage the boys in Saturday’s blockbuster at Caulfield.

Dual Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes-winning jockey Luke Currie knows the drill.

Trust the horse and Anthony and Sam Freedman stable to get it right – again.

The Freedman yard has won three of the past five Blue Diamonds with Lyre (2019), Artorius (2021) and Daumier (2022).

Currie rode Lyre and Artorius to victory.

The 13-time Group 1-winner said backmarker Matisse profiled similar to Lyre and Artorius.

“They had different form going into it but her style and the way she’s a pretty relaxed sort of horse,” Currie said.

“She’s the right type of filly to come out and cause a bit of an upset.”

• Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes runner-by-runner analysis

The two-year-old daughter of Group 1 Sires’ Produce winner and Golden Slipper runner-up Microphone is rated an $18 chance with TAB on Saturday.

Currie conceded the colts – Coleman ($4), Bodyguard ($7) and High Octane ($8.50) – looked hardest to beat in the Blue Diamond.

Lady Of Camelot ($4.80) is the shortest priced filly in the TAB market from Eneeza ($10), Kuroyanagi ($16) and Blue Diamond Preview/Prelude winner Hayasugi ($17).

“The boys I suppose they definitely look like the ones (to beat), but they’ve got to handle the pressure,” Currie said.

“I think she’s (Matisse) probably the best chance of the fillies … there’s no standout where you’d say ‘he’s just home’, I think they’re all there to be beaten.”

Matisse (blue jacket) surged late to get within half a length of Hayasugi in the Blue Diamond Prelude. Picture: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Matisse has placed third in both the fillies’ Blue Diamond Preview and Prelude – behind Hayasugi both times.

The maiden filly in defeat recorded the second fastest last 600m and 400m sectionals of the entire Caulfield card last start in the Prelude.

Currie got a feel for Matisse last Tuesday at Mornington.

• Winners and losers from the Blue Diamond barrier draw

“She definitely hasn’t gone backwards since her (Prelude) run and she’s a strong sort of filly, I think she’s a good chance,” Currie said.

Currie is mindful of nailing the start and settling position on Saturday from barrier one.

“You don’t want to be completely negative, but she definitely won’t be ridden for speed,” Currie said.

“I might’ve liked to have been (drawn) out a bit, where she had a bit of room, she’s going to need the luck but she’s going to be away from the pressure of the race.”

Luke Currie enjoying the Blue Diamond win of Artorius with trainer Sam Freedman in 2021. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Matisse settled midfield from barrier one on debut in the Preview and hit the line strongly despite being held up in the straight.

A wide draw last start forced Matisse back to the tail of the field and she sustained a gallop down the middle of the track.

Currie has five rides at Caulfield on Saturday including Immediacy in the Group 2 Autumn Classic (1800).

“He’s won two of two, blinkers go on him this week and he might be a really nice stayer in the making,” Currie said.

“He just doesn’t know what he’s doing yet, he still might not on Saturday and that will probably be his undoing, but if he gets it a bit right then he’s the style of horse that could keep progressing.”

Originally published as Jockey Luke Currie eyes third Blue Diamond success with Anthony and Sam Freedman