The connections of two youngsters have paid the hefty $55,000 late entry fee to throw their two-year-olds into the Blue Diamond Stakes 2015 mix this afternoon.

Pride Of Dubai (outside) is one of two late 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes entries for Saturday’s Caulfield classic. Photo: Adrienne Bicknell.

Late entries for Saturday’s $1 million Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield Racecourse closed at midday and, as expected, Pride Of Dubai and Manhattan Rain are now in contention for the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival classic.

Early Blue Diamond Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au are led by Robert Smerdon’s undefeated filly Fontiton at $2.40, the daughter of Turffontein last seen winning the Blue Diamond Fillies Preview – Prelude double with a Group 2 victory in the latter on February 14.

The Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Street Cry colt Pride Of Dubai, one of today’s 11^th hour entries, then occupies the second line of betting at $5 following his brave second when a nose off the winner Of The Brave in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Colts & Geldings Prelude (1100m) a fortnight back.

The Mark Riley-trained winner of that race Of The Brave ($8) and third placed Sampeah ($8) for Godolphin’s trainer John O’Shea are the next best in the markets ahead of Lake Geneva ($9).

Lake Geneva is prepared by Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes and debuted at Rosehill on January 31.

She was runner-up to Fireworks in that run, her only start to date, in the Group 3 Widden Stakes (1100m) and her team is right behind her for a Blue Diamond bid.

Manhattan Blues meanwhile is at a longer $26, the Tony McEvoy-trained galloper last seen running second to stablemate Stoker in the lucrative $250,000 Inglis 2YO Premier over 1000m at Sandown-Hillside on February 7.

That followed his successful debut in the Schweppes Plate (1000m) at Morphettville in Adelaide on January 10 and his sixth when beaten nearly six lengths by the ill-fated Burnstone in the Listed Blue Diamond (C&G) Preview (1000m) at Sandown on Australia Day.

“He’s worked well and done everything right,” a hopeful McEvoy told AAP.

Manhattan Blues however is far from assured of a start in the Blue Diamond Stakes field currently sitting 23^rd in the order of entry for the capacity 16-starter field.

The Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) announce the official 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes final field on Tuesday morning along with conducting the all-important barrier draw for Melbourne’s richest juvenile’s race.

That makes now the time to get behind your early Blue Diamond Stakes favourites online at Ladbrokes.com.au before markets firm!