Mick Price is likely to have three runners in the Blue Diamond Stakes on Saturday week, Extreme Choice, Flying Artie and China Dream.

The Caulfield trainer is in a strong position, he has two outstanding colts, he is playing his cards close to his chest, he is not declaring one colt above the other, except to say they are two darn good youngsters to appear in the same season.

Extreme Choice is really a lovely chestnut colt with a heap of talent; he blitzed his rivals in Sydney at Randwick and gave a repeat performance at Caulfield in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes.

He has an ideal speed pedigree but didn’t over utilize it, just a preview of what he is capable of, he won by four and a half lengths and did it with ease.

Whether he will get the extra 200 metres Mick Price is not concerned about that, he is a free running youngster.

Now that Damien Oliver has declared he will ride Flying Artie, in preference to Extreme Choice, markets could alter as Oliver has quite a following.

Obviously Oliver may see more likely improvement in Flying Artie and the additional distance an important factor.

Price had a lot to say during the week leading into the Prelude concerning Flying Artie, and the colt didn’t let the boss down, the colt gave a stellar performance.

After drawing the outside gate, the start was delayed when Ambitious Ex had to be finally scratched, it put pressure on Flying Artie, he was beginning to get a bit warm with the delay that was taking place.

Price was singing the praises of the colt, and rightly so, he has a lot of potential, it was an outstanding win, he didn’t cop any favours.

“He is strong, the Blue Diamond 1200 metres will suit him, he only needs to draw a gate, I think he will benefit from today, his work has been good, he is a red hot chance in the Diamond,” said Price.

“He came out of the gates strong, had he drawn well he would have been box seating, all is going well,” he added

Flying Artie wins the Prelude.

Heatherly on track for plate

Heatherly gave her rivals such a thrashing in the Group 2 Schweppes Rubiton Stakes, those with intentions of opposing her in the forthcoming Oakleigh Plate may as well remain at home.

After bouncing clear from the starting gate, if there were any doubts about the result they were quickly erased, she travelled sweetly to the home turn before drawing away to score by five lengths, and was still full of running on the line, nothing was taking any ground from her.

Heatherley is raced by Barrie Griffiths, and his wife Midge, they have raced quite a number of good horses over a long period, preferring to race fillies, they have been blessed with the Midas touch, recalling the era of Mannerism, Northwood Plume and others, yet they are not considered breeders.

Mannerism was a very good race mare winning the Caulfield Cup and the Futurity Stakes, she put gold cups each end of the mantel piece in the dining room of their home, and in the middle the Melbourne Cup, won by Tawrriffic.

Heatherley winning the Rubiton in a breeze.

Mahuta goes from strength to strength

Mahuta turned in another dazzling performance when leading from barrier to box, taking out the thick end of the prize in the Group 2 Hyland Autumn Stakes.

He is a remarkable colt, it has been pay day ever since early October when he won at Kyneton, and has won five times since then.

Mahuta is a highly, very talented colt, the Australian Guineas would not be beyond him, he has won at Flemington over 1600 metres on Derby day, and if Darren Weir decides to go that way, which is possible, he is in it up to his ears.

Sailing By, out the Mick Price yard, turned in a sound performance, she has her hoof right on the till, she was first up since the Manifold Stakes in October, she was taking ground off the winner.

The Victoria Derby winner, Tarzino, came from last to run an encouraging fourth, he will improve a ton on that run, Flemington will suit him for the Australian Guineas and fit him for his principal mission, the Australian Derby at Royal Randwick.

Mahuta still winning 

Suavito show her class

Suavito returned to racing in a blaze of glory in winning the Group 1 C F Orr Stakes, after being off the scene for 10 months, due to an injury sustained in the Doncaster Handicap in April of last year.

An amazing effort by an ever diligent trainer in Nigel Blakiston, he has not only returned the mare to racing, she has won at Group 1, taking her record to eight wins, and has crossed the million dollar barrier in stake earnings .

She defeated the best horses in training at present, while some will naturally be improved by the outing, so will she, being off the scene for so long it was a remarkable return to racing.

Suavito back to her best in winning the Orr Stakes

“After drawing barrier one I knew she would get a nice run, she was on her toes in the mounting yard, she knew what she was there for, a long plan ahead awaits her, she is much stronger, the injury was small, with patience it has cleared up, we decided to miss the spring and bring her back for the early autumn,” said a happy trainer, Nigel Blackiston.

Provided Hucklebuck doesn’t bump into Suavito along the way, he is on track for a good autumn, outside of the winner his run in the Orr was excellent, Boban didn’t have much luck on the fence, whilst Lucky Hussler was blocked in at the top of straight, and as for Happy Trails, he looks to be a light of other days.

Nigel Blakiston