Trainer Grahame Begg says Blue Diamond format needs adjusting while ruling out running Dosh in Prelude

Trainer Grahame Begg has looked at the recent history of the Blue Diamond Stakes and is happy with his decision to bypass one of the major lead-up races with unbeaten filly Dosh.

Grahame Begg has done his homework on the recent history of the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes. Picture: Getty Images

History and a tight turnaround have dissuaded trainer Grahame Begg from running unbeaten filly Dosh in Saturday’s Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield.

Dosh remained unbeaten with a determined performance in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) at Caulfield on Australia Day to be an $11 equal second pick in Blue Diamond Stakes betting.

Dosh is one of 20 entries for Saturday’s Blue Diamond Prelude for fillies but Begg said it would be impossible for the daughter of Rich Enuff to compete in all three phases of the Blue Diamond series.

Begg won the 2018 Blue Diamond Stakes with impressive colt Written By, who only ran in the Blue Diamond Prelude on the way to victory in Victoria’s richest two-year-old race.

Dosh was a game winner of the Group 3 Blue Diamond Preview for fillies at Caulfield on Australia Day. Picture: Getty Images

“We did our homework on both races (the Blue Diamond Preview and Prelude),” Begg said.

“Over the last 10 years, you can run in one of them (and win the Blue Diamond), but you can’t run in both of them.

“They’ve either won one of them, going over a period of time, but they can’t do all of them.

“Especially this year with the shorter space apart.”

The Blue Diamond Previews and Preludes will be run only 12 days apart this year.

Begg said that gap wasn’t big enough for young horses to run in both races and be at their best in the $1.5 million Blue Diamond Stakes on February 20.

Begg called for a change to the Blue Diamond series programming to ensure there were two-week gaps before the Previews, Preludes and the main event.

“I don’t know how it came about, whether it was the club or Racing Victoria, but it was ridiculous the way the scheduling was,” Begg said.

“With the 12-day turnaround for fillies, they’re actually costing themselves runners.

“What are they going to do when Australia Day is on a Wednesday next year? They’ll have even less time. They have got to change it. It’s just a commonsense approach.”

Originally published as Trainer Grahame Begg says Blue Diamond format needs adjusting while ruling out running Dosh in Prelude