Blue Diamond Stakes plunge horse Gruenfeld makes his much anticipated debut in Monday's colts and geldings Preview at Caulfield.Trainer Mick Price said the colt by multiple Group One winner Elvstroem was a natural two-year-old and he was expecting big things from him."He's got to do the job on race day. He's trialled up well, he's a natural two-year-old," Price said."Raceday pressure will sort out the men from the boys, but he's going to be competitive. He's a nice colt."An $80,000 Gold Coast Ma
Blue Diamond Stakes plunge horse Gruenfeld makes his much anticipated debut in Monday's colts and geldings Preview at Caulfield.
Trainer Mick Price said the colt by multiple Group One winner Elvstroem was a natural two-year-old and he was expecting big things from him.
"He's got to do the job on race day. He's trialled up well, he's a natural two-year-old," Price said.
"Raceday pressure will sort out the men from the boys, but he's going to be competitive. He's a nice colt."
An $80,000 Gold Coast Magic Millions purchase, Gruenfeld was $101 in TAB Sportsbet's first markets for the $1 million Blue Diamond (1200m) at Caulfield on February 21.
A day before his first public appearance he was on the third line of betting at $9.
The first bet on the colt was a wager of $30,000 to $300 and he has been backed for over $100,000 with TAB Sportsbet.
Gruenfeld's dam, Jade Robbery mare Jewel Theft, is a half-sister to Group Two SAJC Yallambee Classic Magically.
Gruenfeld was $2.90 favourite for the Prelude on Sunday ahead of the unbeaten Peter Snowden-trained Rarefied at $5.50.
Rarefied won over 1109m at Seymour on debut and looked good scoring by 2-1/2 lengths over 1100m at Caulfield on January 10.
The Steve Richards-trained Rostova, the $5 Blue Diamond favourite, is the $1.90 favourite to make it two from two in the fillies Preview (1000m).
The daughter of Testa Rossa is regarded as the most impressive two-year-old to race in Victoria this season.
Richards wasn't afraid to put huge wraps on her when she won the Schiavello Stakes (1000m) by 2-1/2 lengths at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day.
On Monday, Rostova comes up against four last-start winners in Be That As It May, Maka Ena, Tale Of Love and San Cristobel.
Lee Freedman has a strong hand in the Zeditave Stakes (1200m) on the Caulfield program with the highly promising Time Thief and last-start winner Grand Jardin.
Grand Jardin resumed as a gelding to win convincingly over 1100m at Caulfield on January 10, scoring by 2-1/2 lengths.
"We were delighted to see him win first-up. As a young horse he was a big handful as a colt and it was pretty obvious he wasn't going to make the grade if we left him as a colt," Freedman said.
"And he has worked well since so I think he'll run a pretty good race.
"The other horse Time Thief has been going well. I just thought he might be a little bit underdone.
"He worked nicely on Thursday morning and we were pretty pleased with his work."
The Redoute's Choice colt, who won well at his debut over 1000m at Moonee Valley in late August, progressed quickly in the spring with three subsequent Group placings, the latest as runner-up to the highly talented Whobegotyou in the Caulfield Guineas (1600m).
Time Thief is $2.60 favourite ahead of Heart Of Dreams at $5.50 with Grand Jardin a $16 chance.