Steve Richards is eagerly awaiting Saturday's $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes with the favourite Rostova who could provide him with his finest moment in racing at Caulfield.Richards has had some good horses over three decades as a Flemington trainer with the likes of Ark Regal, who gave him his only Group One victory to date in the 1990 Futurity Stakes, Blazing Sword, Irazu, Cahuita, Pekamagess and Playwright.He was also the strapper of the Bart Cummings-trained Lord Dudley when he won the 1975 B

Steve Richards is eagerly awaiting Saturday's $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes with the favourite Rostova who could provide him with his finest moment in racing at Caulfield.

Richards has had some good horses over three decades as a Flemington trainer with the likes of Ark Regal, who gave him his only Group One victory to date in the 1990 Futurity Stakes, Blazing Sword, Irazu, Cahuita, Pekamagess and Playwright.

He was also the strapper of the Bart Cummings-trained Lord Dudley when he won the 1975 Blue Diamond.

The unbeaten Rostova promises to plunge him right in to the big league.

An $80,000 yearling purchase, Rostova is a daughter of Testa Rossa, runner-up to Redoute's Choice in the 1999 Blue Diamond.

The filly has done everything Richards has asked her to do so far earning her top billing for Victoria's premier juvenile event.

She has proven to be too good for the fillies winning the Schiavello Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day, as well as the Blue Diamond fillies Preview (1000m) and Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield by a minimum of two lengths on each occasion.

On Saturday she'll be pitted against the males for the first time including the unbeaten Real Saga trained by the family partnership of Michael, Wayne and Hall of Famer John Hawkes.

Richards said everyone would know after Saturday's race whether the fillies were better than the colts and geldings, but it was clear he respects Real Saga.

"I think she's (Rostova) got the fillies covered, but he (Real Saga) was very, very impressive (in the Blue Diamond Prelude)," he said.

"I think it's going to be some race."

While Real Saga won the colts and geldings Prelude in a time .83s faster than Rostova took out the fillies division, Wayne Hawkes is wary of Rostova.

"This is a different ball game. In the colts race they went harder earlier which set it up for us to hit the line," he said.

"She (Rostova) is a great filly, she's done nothing wrong. We've got a great colt and he's done nothing wrong either.

"I think she'll race closer from the good draw than what we will, but I'd like to see them go head and head because he's been ridden to really hit the line.

"He's never had anything go with him and neither has she.

"I'd like to see them both with clear running in transit and may the best horse win."

Leviathan owner Sheikh Mohammed has three runners and his stable representative Trevor Lobb said Kerrin McEvoy's mount Come Hither was the favoured and the most experienced of the trio.

But he added that none of them were in the race for the sake of it with Corey Brown's mount Rarefied, a $55,000 late entry for the 1200m feature, and Maka Ena both earning starts on the merit of their lead-up form.

Commands colt Rarefied will be trainer Peter Snowden's first Blue Diamond runner.

Exceed And Excel filly Maka Ena gives Dwayne Dunn the chance to ride his fifth successive Blue Diamond winner following Undoubtedly (2005), Nadeem (2006), Sleek Chassis (2007) and Reaan in 2008.

Debutants Stakes and Talindert Stakes winner Come Hither, a daughter of Redoute's Choice, and Maka Ena gives trainer Lee Freedman the chance to win a fourth Blue Diamond after Knowledge in 1997, Danelagh in 1998 and Alinghi in 2004.

David Hayes hold the training record with five winners and is trying to make it four straight with his trio of Bawaardi (Brad Rawiller), Quick Blush (Glen Boss) and Irish Lights (Craig Williams).