Riders confirmed for Blue Diamond fancies

Craig Williams will ride Inglis Premier winner Kinky Boom in the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes.

Craig Williams has been confirmed to ride current favourite Kinky Boom in the $1.5 million Blue Diamond Stakes as the jockey chases back-to-back wins in Victoria’s premier race for juveniles.

Williams won last year’s Blue Diamond on Catchy and he steered the Tony McEvoy-trained Kinky Boom to victory in the filly’s debut at Caulfield last Saturday week in the $250,000 Inglis Premier (1200m).

Kinky Boom was at $6.50 on Monday in the TAB’s market for Saturday week’s Group One Blue Diamond (1200m) ahead of unbeaten colts Long Leaf and Written By who were at $7.50 along with Godolphin’s Plague Stone.

Kerrin McEvoy, who won the Merson Cooper Stakes on Long Leaf in the spring, has been booked to ride the Lindsay Park-trained colt in the Blue Diamond.

Lindsay Park trainers David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig are also aiming for back-to-back Blue Diamonds.

Mark Zahra has been booked to ride Plague Stone, with the colt finishing second to Written By with McEvoy aboard in Saturday’s colts and geldings Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield.

Written By’s trainer Grahame Begg has been pleased with how the promising colt came through the Prelude win, his second victory from as many starts.

“He seems to be nice and bright and in good order,” Begg said.

“Soundness wise, he’s perfect.

“I’m very happy with him.”

The plan at this stage is for Written By to head to the Blue Diamond if everything continues to go to plan.

“Nothing has told us we shouldn’t be going at this stage,” the trainer said.

“All the key indicators have been positive so we’ll just see if he keeps progressing the same way.”

Jordan Childs has ridden Written By in his two wins and will continue his association with the colt.