Oohood out to book Blue Diamond spot

The result of the Blue Diamond Preludes will determine whether Luke Currie remains in Melbourne for Blue Diamond day and misses the first Sydney lead-up run of Golden Slipper favourite Sunlight.

Currie is the rider of brilliant Magic Millions winner Sunlight who is scheduled to have the first of her two Golden Slipper lead-ups on February 24 in the Silver Slipper.

Currie rides Sunlight’s stablemate Oohood in Saturday’s Group Two Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield and is confident the talented juvenile can stamp herself as a leading Blue Diamond contender.

If that happens, Currie says he would stay in Melbourne to ride in the $1.5 million Blue Diamond, with the blessing of Sunlight’s connections.

“All going well we’ll will win tomorrow and I’ll be staying here,” he said.

Currie said while he would love to ride Sunlight in both her Slipper lead-ups, trainer Tony McEvoy and Sunlight’s owners had agreed he would ride the filly in her second Sydney race should he miss the Silver Slipper because of Blue Diamond commitments.

“Of course I would like to ride her in both lead-ups,” he said.

“I’ve spoken to Tony about it and the owners and if I am required here then that’s no problem with me getting back on her at her next start.”

Oohood was an eye-catching third in the Blue Diamond Preview after having to weave through the field before charging late to be narrowly beaten.

Currie copped a careless riding suspension in the race and McEvoy has put winkers on the filly this time.

“She was a bit awkward last start going between horses and probably didn’t help herself but if I had it over again I probably would have just come back and come around the field and I think she would have won clearly,” Currie said.

“With even luck tomorrow and a good ride, I think she’ll be pretty hard to beat.”