Mohave joins Earthquake as Darley's contenders for the Blue Diamond Stakes Chris Symons rides Mohave to victory in the Blue Diamond Preview. It may already have Earthquake, the second favourite for the $1million Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield on February 22, but the giant Darley operation showed it would have more than one serious chance in the race, with Mohave resuming with a smart win in the Blue Diamond Preview for colts and geldings (1000 metres) on Saturday. Chris Symons had Mohave ($5 to $4) perfectly placed in running just behind the speed and, once asked for his effort in the straight, the colt raced to the front at the 200 metres and then showed plenty of determination to hold off Cornrow ($3.60 favourite) by three-quarters of a length. Trainer Peter Snowden said Mohave would back up in the Blue Diamond Prelude in a fortnight and said the longer trip would only be in favour of the son of Exceed And Excel. "He's on a three-run preparation and had been targeted at the Diamond and I think he'll be very competitive," he said. Snowden said he had been pleased with Earthquake after inspecting her on Saturday morning and she would have a jump-out on Thursday before running in the Blue Diamond Prelude. While pleased with his own contenders, Snowden said they would come up against some tough opposition on Diamond day. "He's very good, he's smart," the trainer said after watching the highly touted Rubick win on debut at Randwick. The ease of his win forced bookmakers to elevate the Gerald Ryan-trained colt to the top of betting for the Blue Diamond, deposing Earthquake. There will be a good one come out every week from now on. In the other preview, for fillies, the speedy Eloping overcame an awkward start to score a dominant win, securing her berth in the Blue Diamond. "I was in there [the barriers] for three minutes and was ready to go," jockey Stephen Baster said of the slow beginning, after the start was held up when Fontein Ruby had to undergo a veterinary examination. Once she got to the front she switched off and relaxed and couldn't have done much more than that. Eloping ($2.90 to $3.20 favourite) travelled sweetly in front and kicked strongly at the top of the straight to easily account for Luminosity ($41) by a length. The Darley runner, Sakitto ($26), took third placing after successfully protesting against London Lolly. Co-trainers Peter Morgan and Craig Widdison had initially been looking towards the Magic Millions with Eloping, but a hamstring injury led to those plans being shelved for a Blue Diamond campaign. Eloping had had a month off after her impressive debut win at Bendigo last month and Widdison said she may go straight into the Blue Diamond now rather than contesting the Preludes. Eloping is at $15 in Blue Diamond markets.