FORMER champion galloper Weekend Hussler is nominated to make his long awaited return to racing on Arrowfield Stud Blue Diamond Stakes Day this Saturday at Caulfield.

The seven-time Group 1 winner has not competed since succumbing to injury following his unplaced run in the Australia Stakes (1200m, Group 1) at Moonee Valley 12 months ago.

He is one of 20 horses entered for the Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet Oakleigh Plate (1100m), a race he emphatically won in 2008 during a stellar three-year-old career.

Trainer Ross McDonald has given his stable star a lengthy preparation in readiness for his return, but it will be no easy assignment with a star-studded list of nominations.

Included amongst the entries are multi-million dollar colt Starspangledbanner, Saturday’s Group 1 Pulse Pharmacy William Reid Stakes winner Turffontein, track record holder Here De Angels, highly rated Sydney sprinter Swift Alliance and local ace Lucky Secret.

Add in a classy quartet of Peter Moody-trained three-year-olds in Wanted, Headway, Avenue and Tickets and it’s not hard to get enthused about the quality of the Oakleigh Plate.

Whilst the $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) for two-year-olds is the headline event, Saturday’s meeting does feature seven Group races.

Amongst the support card is the Group 2 $200,000 Pure Blonde St George Stakes (1800m), a race which shapes as a preview to next month’s $1 million Darley Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington.

Emirates Melbourne Cup winners Shocking and Viewed head the 18 entries for the St George, with imported Irish galloper Changingoftheguard, a morning scratching from last year’s Melbourne Cup, nominated to make his Australian debut.

Fellow imports Speed Gifted and Our Aqaleem add depth to the nominations for the weight-for-age event, as do Heart Of Dreams, Sniper’s Bullet, Sirmione, Zipping and Littorio.

Boom colt Denman tops the entries for the Group 2 $180,000 D’urban Stakes (1400m) for three-year-olds, with Hanks, Rockferry, Carrara and filly Irish Lights other notable entries.

Irish Lights also features alongside Set For Fame, Rostova, No Evidence Needed and Misty Blue in the nominations for the Group 2 $180,000 BMW Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m) for three-year-old fillies.

The Arrowfield Stud Blue Diamond Stakes field will be announced and the barrier draw conducted at a special function at Caulfield from 10.30am tomorrow.

Acceptances for the Oakleigh Plate will be taken at 9am on Wednesday morning, with acceptances for the remainder of the Caulfield program to be taken 24 hours later.

RACING VICTORIA MEDIA RELEASE

CONTACT: Shaun Kelly – RVL Communications Manager M: 0417 145 796 P: (03) 9258 4252 E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.