The Blue Diamond puzzle will become clearer after Saturday when three of the top five fancies clash at Caulfield.Secession, the early Diamond favourite at $7 with TAB Sportsbet, will go head-to-head with $8 second elect Beneteau and Innocent Gamble ($11) in the Blue Diamond Prelude for colts and geldings.Unbeaten youngster General Truce, a $13 chance for the Group One on February 20, will also resume in the 1100m feature and trainer Ricky Maund is expecting him to further enhance his Blue Diamon

The Blue Diamond puzzle will become clearer after Saturday when three of the top five fancies clash at Caulfield.

Secession, the early Diamond favourite at $7 with TAB Sportsbet, will go head-to-head with $8 second elect Beneteau and Innocent Gamble ($11) in the Blue Diamond Prelude for colts and geldings.

Unbeaten youngster General Truce, a $13 chance for the Group One on February 20, will also resume in the 1100m feature and trainer Ricky Maund is expecting him to further enhance his Blue Diamond claims.

"If he runs in the first four he will definitely go to the Blue Diamond," Maund said.

"I should say he will be going there for sure because the way he's going now he won't be running a bad race."

General Truce, who has barrier six in the nine-horse field, is raced by his breeders Kevin and Tanith O'Brien who enjoyed great success with outstanding mare Gold Edition.

The gelding took out a maiden at Bendigo in October before showing that was no fluke with a resounding victory in the Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington in the spring.

He snuck under the guard of punters who sent him around at $61 but Maund said General Truce had always shown above-average ability despite his small stature.

"I didn't go to Flemington to make up the numbers with him," Maund said.

"I thought he'd run well and beat home more horses than would beat him."

General Truce had five weeks in the paddock after that win and Maund said his appearance was much better this preparation.

He showed he was on track with a recent barrier trial win over Secession at Cranbourne and will again have the services of regular rider Andrew Mallyon.

"It was just a nice, even trial. The (Blue Diamond) favourite ran second and there wasn't a hell of a lot of difference between them," Maund said.

"I don't know how much improvement was in the other horse but there was definitely a lot of improvement in mine.

"He had roughly five weeks out in the paddock and we've brought him on nice and slowly this preparation.

"He looks a lot better than he did last time in. He grew a bit but it's mainly his coat, it looks really good, healthier."

The colts and geldings Prelude has been a sound guide to the Blue Diamond in recent years with Real Saga downing Reward For Effort in the lead-up last year before the runner-up reversed that result in the Group One.

Bel Esprit in 2002 was the last to claim the double.