Field of Play has earned approximately $184,600 by winning his first two starts in Australia since late December. A chunk of that was needed to pay a supplemental fee of more than $34,000 to make the gelding eligible to Friday’s Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia. The $1.28 million Blue Diamond Stakes was not originally a goal for Field of Play. Early nominations closed in 2024. Field of Play won his debut in a six-furlong handicap at Moonee Valley Racecourse on Dec. 28 and his stakes debut in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude for colts and geldings at 5 1/2 furlongs at Caulfield on Feb. 8. In both wins, Field of Play closed from slightly off the pace. Trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, Field of Play was a slight favorite in early betting at 4-1 as of Thursday for the 16-runner Blue Diamond Stakes, which drew seven colts and geldings and nine fillies. The fillies Cherish Me, a fast-closing winner of a handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs at Geelong on Jan. 4, and Tempted, who was second to Blue Diamond entrant The Playwright in the Group 3 Widden Stakes at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney on Feb. 1, were 6-1. The Playwright, likely to set the pace, is rated as a longshot. The Caulfield program includes two other Group 1 sprints worth $480,000 – the Oakleigh Place at 5 1/2 furlongs and the Futurity Stakes at seven furlongs. :: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing The Futurity Stakes has a deceptive name, by American standards, in the sense that it is open to older horses. Mr Brightside, the prolific winner of 18 races in 41 starts, will be a strong favorite to win his ninth Group 1 race. Mr Brightside was second in the 2023 Futurity Stakes and won the race last year. Craig Williams is booked to ride Mr Brightside and may be on the favorite in the Oakleigh Plate on the improving 4-year-old filly She’s Bulletproof who starts in her first Group 1 race after an appealing win in the Group 3 Bellmaine Stakes at six furlongs at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne on Feb. 1. Broadsiding leads Hobartville Stakes Broadsiding, Australia’s champion 2-year-old for the 2023-24 season, will have his first start of 2025 in Friday’s Group 2 Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill Gardens, which could lead to Group 1 starts at other tracks in Sydney in the next 60 days. The $256,000 Hobartville Stakes will be Broadsiding’s first start since a 10th-place finish behind Mr Brightside in the Group 1 Cantala Stakes at a mile at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne in November. Broadsiding is winless in three starts since the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds at seven furlongs a Rosehill Gardens in September, a losing streak that includes a credible third  in the Group 1 Cox Plate at 1 1/4 miles at Moonee Valley in October. The Hobartville drew a field of 11, including Public Attention, a lightly raced gelding who won his 2025 debut in the Group 3 Esk Prince Stakes at six furlongs at Randwick on Feb. 8. The Hobartville is part of a 10-race program that begins at 8:30 p.m. Eastern, or 5:30 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.