Blue Diamond Stakes 2015 Odds & Field Update: Claudia Jean Scratched

After being under an injury cloud on Friday afternoon, the David Hayes & Tom Dabernig-trained Claudia Jean is now officially scratched from today’s 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes field leaving one less rival for firming favourite Fontiton to defeat.

Claudia Jean has been found “mildly lame” and is scratched from the 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes field at Caulfield today. Photo: Adrienne Bicknell.

There are now 14 two-year-olds in the mix for the $1 million Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m), the 44^th edition of the juvenile’s classic running as Caulfield Race 8 at 5:50pm (AEDT).

2015 Blue Diamond Stakes Market Moves

Firming:

#8 Fontiton ($2.45 into $2.15)
#1 Stoker ($15 into $11)
#9 Thurlow ($26 into $19)
#14 Air Apparent ($26 into $21)

Drifting:

#7 Pride Of Dubai ($5 out to $6)
#13 Lake Geneva ($10 out to $11)
#5 Sampeah ($10 out to $15)
#2 Of The Brave ($9 out to $16)
#10 Flamboyant Lass ($17 out to $21)

Showing signs of mild lameness yesterday in her nearside front hoof, a close eye was kept on Lindsay Park’s Not A Single Doubt filly Claudia Jean.

A winner on debut at Flemington in December, she was last seen running two and a quarter lengths away seventh to upset winner Le Chef in the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) on the Gold Coast in early January.

She was set to have her third career start in the Blue Diamond Stakes but the 26-1 shot was withdrawn from the line-up after failing to pass her veterinary examination this morning.

The Blue Diamond Stakes scratching has seen the odds firm on a number of the runners still in the mix including the red hot, Robert Smerdon-trained favourite Fontiton.

A winner of all three of her starts to date, the Turffontein filly is looking to become the fourth filly and fifth favourite on the trot to win the Blue Diamond and is in from as long as $2.45 to $2.15 to answer history from barrier one.

The only other single figure hope then is on the drift slightly with the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Pride Of Dubai.

Jockey Damian Browne stays on the Street Cry colt who is drawn ideally in barrier five and looking to break his maiden status after going down just a nose in the Group 3 Blue Diamond (C&G) Prelude (1100m) at the track a fortnight ago.

Along with the favourite other Blue Diamond Stakes hopes to come in from their earlier prices include Tony McEvoy’s last start Inglis winner at Sandown over 1000m Stoker ($15 into $11) and stablemate to the favourite Thurlow ($26 into $19) who won the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) at the start of the month.

Notable Blue Diamond Stakes betting market drifters meanwhile include Mark Riley’s Blue Diamond (C&G) Prelude winner Of The Brave ($9 out to $16) and the John O’Shea-trained Sampeah ($10 out to $15) who ran third in the same lead-up race.

See below for the full Blue Diamond Stakes 2015 odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

Ladbrokes are also offering exclusive Best Tote or SP + 20% markets for all the Blue Diamond Stakes runners this weekend making them the only bookie you need to visit today!