Brenton Avdulla returns to his home country full of confidence in his bid for an upset win on Kuroyanagi in Saturday’s Group One Blue Diamond Stakes (1,200m) at Caulfield.

The Australian jockey’s top form in Hong Kong, headlined by a brilliant winning ride on Howdeepisyourlove on February 12, caught the eye of South Australian trainer Will Clarken and led to him being offered the Blue Diamond ride.

The coveted two-year-old feature is one of 12 overseas races to be simulcast by the Jockey Club on Saturday.

Kuroyanagi has made a strong impression in her two lead-up starts, recording a dominant victory in South Australia on debut and a close second in the Group Three Blue Diamond Prelude (1,100m) for fillies at Caulfield.

Avdulla expects the daughter of Written Tycoon to capitalise on her ideal draw in barrier two and figure prominently.

“I thought she was worth going for,” Avdulla said. “I thought she needed to draw a gate, which she has, so that will help.

“She’s progressive. I’m looking at it as if she’s having her second run because at Gawler [on debut], it was only a field of four, so it was like a barrier trial. I think she’ll improve again.

“She was probably in the inferior part of the track the other day [at Caulfield] and wasn’t beaten far.

“The stable’s confident she’ll run well, so she just needs a bit of luck to go her way at the right time and I reckon she’ll run well.”

Avdulla’s chances received a boost on the eve of the race when unbeaten colt Bodyguard was scratched after presenting with lameness.

Boom colt Coleman, who is unbeaten from two starts at Caulfield, is one of the leading contenders along with brilliant last-start Rosehill winner Lady Of Camelot.

“It’s a very competitive race,” Avdulla said. “Obviously you’ve got Coleman, who is going from 1,000m to 1,200m which is never ideal, but he looks a good horse.

How Avdulla’s Howdeepisyourlove peach led to ride aboard Blue Diamond chance

“I’ve drawn around the right chances and we’ll see which horse is the best on the day.”

Avdulla rode only one winner between November 29 and February 12, but has bounced back to boot home six winners from the past four meetings.

“It’s been good. I’ve been riding a winner most meetings, so things are going well,” he said.

Three other races at Caulfield will be simulcast by the Jockey Club, including the Group One Futurity Stakes (1,400m) and Group One Oakleigh Plate (1,100m).

Mr Brightside is the headline act in the Futurity with the Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained galloper expected to claim a sixth Group One victory.

Runner-up to Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior in the Group One Cox Plate (2,040m) at Moonee Valley last spring, Mr Brightside launched his autumn campaign with a first-up win in the Group One C.F. Orr Stakes (1,400m) at Caulfield.

The simulcast offering starts with one race from New Zealand, the Group One Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1,600m), and concludes with seven races from Saudi Arabia, including the world’s richest race, the US$20 million Saudi Cup (1,800m).