Long Leaf favourite for G1 Blue Diamond

Long Leaf is the slight favourite in an open Group One Blue Diamond Stakes after the barrier draw for the $1.5 million race for two-year-olds at Caulfield.

Long Leaf is undefeated in three starts and was $7 with TAB fixed odds after coming up with barrier seven in a capacity field of 16 plus four emergencies for Saturday’s 1200m-feature.

Godolphin’s Plague Stone has remained at $8 after drawing barrier six while Oohood was also at $8 after coming up with gate 10.

Oohood will start from nine if the four emergencies don’t gain a start.

Unbeaten colt Written By has drawn 18 but will come into 14 if the reserves don’t get a run.

The Mick Price-trained Prairie Fire has the inside barrier while Darren Weir’s first Blue Diamond runner, Native Soldier, has the outside draw.

Long Leaf is one of four runners for the Lindsay Park stable while Tony McEvoy has five acceptors, although Aristocratic Miss and Roobeena are emergencies.