Despite the current 2012 Blue Diamond Stakes betting favourite Malasun featuring in the field, it is her promising stablemate Samaready who has been hit hard by the punters and now sits atop the odds for the Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude at Caulfield this Saturday.
Applegate is one of best chances in the 2012 Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude at Caulfield on Saturday
After opening at a price of $6 through Luxbet to take out the $125,000 Group 3 Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Prelude (F) (1100m) – Caulfield Race 3 this Saturday, the Mick Price-trained Samaready has been well-backed and wound right into $3.90.
This huge betting splurge on the unbeaten daughter of More Than Ready comes just days after Price himself declared Samaready his best chance of scoring that elusive victory in the $1 million Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 25.
“If I had to have a guess…I’d lean to Samaready,” he said.
The punters have been quick to respond and Samaready is the now the shortest-priced of the 12 fillies lining up in Saturday’s BD Prelude.
In futures markets for the Blue Diamond Stakes at Luxbet, Red Ransom filly Malasun is the $6 favourite while Samaready can be found further down the markets at a quote of $9.
Both are unbeaten having won their debuts, Malasun in the Blue Diamond Fillies Preview at Caulfield on January 26 and Samaready further back in a 1000m race at Flemington on December 17.
For Saturday Malasun holds the barrier advantage drawn in two with Damien Oliver in the mount, Samaready jumping wide from gate 10 with Craig Newitt engaged.
Despite her favouritism in the Blue Diamond futures and her ideal draw, Malasun is only rated the $5 second-elect having drifted out from her opening odds of $4.40.
Price is also represented by a third Prelude hopeful on Saturday in the unraced Tuscan Haze who is at $12 to emulate her stablemates and win on debut.
Malasun is the only two-year-old still in contention for the Patinack Farm $1 million Blue Diamond Series bonus, and she must win on Saturday to keep the dream alive.
But Price said that the real reason Malasun was running in the Prelude was not the lucrative bonus on offer, but the necessary race experience she would gain before going up against the boys in the Blue Diamond Stakes.
“We were going to be four weeks, two days between runs so I just thought this is her first race prep, she didn’t race last time in, and that’s a bit of an ask,” he said.
“I think they have to be pretty professional in a Blue Diamond.
“I’ve tried not to do too much with her.
“I’m pretty happy, she’s not shinny, (her) knees are good and horse is all good.”
Saturday sees a relatively open betting market at Luxbet for the Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude with four other acceptors also at single-figures.
Following Price’s well-fancied pair is then the Peter Snowden-trained Applegate at $6.50 through Luxbet.
Applegate is another filly who has won one-from-one so far, and like Samaready she pays $9 in the Blue Diamond 2012 odds for the end of month grand final.
A daughter of Exceed And Excel, Applegate debuted at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day last year hanging on in a thrilling finish to defeat Snitzerland – Alezan Thunder third – in the Listed Emirates Airline Plate (1000m).
“There’s not one two-year-old that’s put two wins together thus far this season, so hopefully she can be the first one to do that this Saturday,” Snowden’s son and stable foreman Paul Snowden said.
“She trialled super last Friday. She had a good hit out, pulled up well and has trained on well.”
For start number two this weekend she has come up with barrier nine, Kerrin McEvoy to ride the stablemate of last year’s brilliant Blue Diamond Stakes winner Sepoy.
Other notable chances and their current prices to claim an upset win in the Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies) on Saturday include Strada filly Formidable ($7.50 Luxbet) coming off a second to Mama’s Choice in the Listed Chairman’s Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield last Saturday, Mark Kavanagh’s daughter of Snitzel Sweetener ($8.00 Luxbet) who debuted when sixth to Malasun in the BD Preview, and Robert Smerdon’s Preview runner-up Members Joy ($9.50).
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2012 Blue Diamond Prelude Fillies Odds
Caulfield Race 3 – 2:00pm – 11/02/2012
| # | Horse (Barrier) | Odds* |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DIAMOND EARTH (12) | 14.00 Luxbet |
| 2 | REAL STOLLE (8) | 11.00 Luxbet |
| 3 | APPLEGATE (9) | 6.50 Luxbet |
| 4 | FORMIDABLE (4) | 7.50 Luxbet |
| 5 | MEMBERS JOY (11) | 9.50 Luxbet |
| 6 | MALASUN (2) | 5.00 Luxbet |
| 7 | SAMAREADY (10) | 3.90 Luxbet |
| 8 | PRINCETON MISS (7) | 18.00 Luxbet |
| 9 | CLEARWATER BAY (3) | 61.00 Luxbet |
| 10 | SWEETENER (6) | 8.00 Luxbet |
| 11 | COME ON SUGAR (1) | 151.00 Luxbet |
| 12 | TUSCAN HAZE (5) | 12.00 Luxbet |
*Fixed Win Odds provided by Luxbet and subject to change
