The Diomed Stakes (Saturday 1 June) is a Group 3 race that takes place over 1 mile 113 yards at Epsom Racecourse. It is run on the same card as The Derby and has been won in recent years by the likes of Century Dream, Sovereign Debt, and Arod.
Diomed Stakes Trends
- The last 10 winners have been drawn as low as stall-one and as high as stall-eight
- Nine of the last 10 winners didn’t carry a penalty
- Horses as young as four and as old as eight have been successful
- All 10 winners had run between six and 86 days earlier
- The last six winners were returned at odds of 13/2 or shorter
- Andrew Balding has trained two of the last seven winners
Diomed Stakes Main Contenders 2019
Zaaki
Broke his maiden on his first start for Sir Michael Stoute as a three-year-old but failed to win again in two handicaps and three Group 3 races last season. Seemed to have made a big improvement from three to four when winning a Listed Race on his reappearance, beating the well-backed Barney Roy and several other useful rivals. Trainer renowned for his prowess for improving older horses and the Stoute stable is currently in the best form it’s been in for some time.
Bye Bye Hong Kong
You have to go back to 1994 to find the last three-year-old to win the Diomed Stakes but he will get a decent weight allowance from his older rivals. He made the most of a similar allowance when winning a Listed Race from the re-opposing Oh This Is Us last time and it’s interesting that trainer Andrew Balding has entered him.
Matterhorn
Stunning winner on All-weather Finals Day and he has run creditably switched to turf on his last two starts. He has won at a mile and 10 furlongs and he could find this in between trip perfect. The trouble is, he was beaten by a Sir Michael Stoute runner last time, so Stoute has a decent form-line to gauge the chances of Zaaki.
Oh This Is Us
Likeable six-year-old that has won top-class handicaps and Listed Races but normally finds at least one too good in group races. Held by Bye Bye Hong Kong on their latest meeting and he doesn’t have as much scope for improvement as the younger market leaders.
Mordin
Represents last year’s winning trainer Simon Crisford and he brings top-class handicap form to the table having finished second in last year’s Cambridgeshire, whilst he also won on his seasonal debut off a mark of 100. Not yet proven at Group level but improving all the time.
Diomed Stakes 2019 Summary & Betting Tip
Mordin and Oh This Is Us have something to prove at this level and look vulnerable to the younger horses. Bye Bye Hong Kong is interesting for Andrew Balding but three-year-olds don’t have a great record in the race. Meanwhile, Matterhorn has found one too good in his last two group races, and that horse this time could be Zaaki, especially as his trainer Sir Michael Stoute beat Matterhorn last time with another of his runners.
Diomed Stakes Tip 2019: Zaaki @