BLUE DIAMOND STAKES

1200m, $1.5 million, set weights for two-year-olds

HISTORY

* First run in 1971 when won by Tolerance

* In 1996 it was run at Flemington and won by Paint

* In 2003 Roedean was first past the post but subsequently disqualified after returning a positive swab and Kusi declared the winner

* Melbourne's richest two-year-old race which has had a $500,000 prize money injection this year.

NOTABLE WINNERS

* John's Hope (1972), Manikato (1978), Rancher (1982), Bounding Away (1986), Midnight Fever (1987), Zeditave (1988), Courtza (1989), Redoute's Choice (1999), Bel Esprit (2002), Alinghi (2004), Sepoy (2011) and Miracles Of Life (2013).

TALKING POINTS

* Five horses have won the Blue Diamond-Golden Slipper double: John's Hope (1972), Manikato (1978), Bounding Away (1986), Courtza (1989) and Sepoy (2011)

* Fillies had won the race for three consecutive years until Pride Of Dubai broke their run last year

* There are nine fillies and seven colts and geldings in this year's field.

* David Hayes holds the training record with five winners - Canonise (1991), Principality (1995), Nadeem (2006), Sleek Chassis (2007) and Reann (2008).

He has three runners - Valliano, Highland Beat and Zamzam - in his attempt to win his first in partnership with Tom Dabernig.

WHAT CONNECTIONS ARE SAYING

* "It's a little bit messy for my horses with those barriers but they go in there spot-on and can win if good enough" - trainer Mick Price on colts Extreme Choice and Flying Artie who have barriers 13 and 17 respectively.

* "It wasn't the plan to get that far back last time. She just stepped a bit slow so with a better beginning I think she can sit in the middle somewhere" - trainer Tony McEvoy on tactics for Concealer.

* "He's still got a great chance but it (barrier) hasn't made the job any easier and there's a few in there that we have to beat" - jockey Damien Oliver's assessment of Flying Artie.