One-time favourite Malasun has been ruled out of the Blue Diamond Stakes 2012 at Caulfield on Saturday week, but the Blue Diamond dream is still very much alive for her trainer Mick Price whose other smart filly Samaready has shot to the top of the markets.
Samaready is the new short-priced favourite for the 2012 Blue Diamond Stakes Saturday week
Price’s Rend Ransom filly Malasun briefly led the Luxbet futures for the $1 million Group 1 Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) after she won the Blue Diamond Fillies Preview in her race debut on January 26.
She failed to live up to the hype second-up, however, when finishing a well-beaten sixth behind her emerging stablemate Samaready in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies) over 1100-metres last Saturday.
From top elect to $31 outsider in the Blue Diamond Stakes odds at Luxbet, Malasun has now been ruled out of the classic completely and will be sent to the paddock immediately.
More Than Ready two-year-old Samaready continues to dominate Blue Diamond betting shortening even further in from $2.60 to $2.40 at Luxbet over the past 24 hours.
Winner over 1000-metres at Flemington in her first turf appearance in December, Samaready proved her Blue Diamond potential with her strong Prelude win on the weekend where she beat home Formidable by a comfortable three and a half lengths in a sharp 1:03.38 seconds.
Gai Waterhouse’s luckless Magic Millions Classic runner-up No Looking Back remains the $8 second favourite for the Blue Diamond Stakes on the 25th, while Blue Diamond Preview (Colts & Geldings) winner The Travelling Man and Jimando are equal $9 third elects.
Tony McEvoy’s Commands colt Jimando was also at one time sitting highest up the Blue Diamond Stakes odds, the youngster having made a strong impression last October winning the Listed Inglis Debutants Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield.
They proved a false favourite first-up in 2012, however, when finishing third behind Mama’s Choice and Formidable in the Listed Chairman’s Stakes (1100m) on February 4.
“I was as happy as you can be getting beat as there were lots of positives,” the Angaston-based McEvoy said.
“Blake (Shinn) dug him up, as he had to being on an odds-on favourite from barrier two, and he got left in front, which didn’t suit.
“He was a bit one-paced in the straight but was very strong the last 50 yards and, as it turned out, it was definitely a swoopers day.”
While they haven’t drifted too far down the markets, still ahead of the David Hayes-trained Mama’s Choice ($11 Luxbet), McEvoy is starting to have a few doubts after watching the ease of Samaready’s win over the weekend.
“That was scary, that filly looked very impressive,” he said of the new favourite.
“She ran 11-second sectionals all the way, which is top class.
“It could be that the girls might be a bit better than the boys this time out.”
Still, McEvoy remains hopeful of improvement from Jimando for Diamond Day with Blake Shinn to retain the ride.
“Don’t get me wrong, he was fit enough to win the other day, but he’ll improve tremendously into the Diamond,” he said.
“And he’ll be ridden a bit different.
“He’ll really enjoy having something to chase.”
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