Class filly Enthaar continues to firm in 2021 Blue Diamond Stakes betting after she passed her vet check on Friday morning ahead of the $1.5 million showdown at Caulfield.
The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained daughter of Written Tycoon was one of three two-year-olds in the Group 1 Neds Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) field that were found to be lame earlier in the week and had to undergo an examination by Racing Victoria vets the eve of the race.
The star juvenile in the field Enthaar was cleared, but the Grahame Begg-trained Rich Enuff filly Dosh was scratched after failing to pass the required checks.
Unbeaten filly Enthaar is a standout in the 2021 Blue Diamond Stakes field for Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
It was a blow for Begg and connections whose undefeated Group 3 Ottawa Stakes winner from the spring had been kept fresh for the big event after her eye-catching Blue Diamond Preview win from Australia Day.
Roughie hope Marine One was also still found to be lame in his near fore leg and will undergo a third and final inspection on Saturday morning.
For Enthaar it is full steam ahead for Saturday, with the top elect at current Blue Diamond Stakes odds of $2.35 through Ladbrokes.com.au.
Despite the set-back, co-trainer Maher remains confident that the filly is the one to beat on Saturday as she chases a third win from as many starts.
“She’s done all the work she’s had to do, she hasn’t missed a beat,” he told RSN’s Racing Pulse.
“I’m very confident.
“She’s got a big engine, she’s a big striding horse. She’s very natural, got a lot of speed and I can’t see why 1200m [would be a problem] … if you look at her last two starts, she didn’t look like she was stopping to me.
“She’s quick and I think she’ll be just as quick over 1200m.
“I’d probably be nervous if I was training the horses to beat her.”
Enthaar won the Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) at Randwick by three lengths on debut in the spring before returning with an equally dominant Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) success at the Caulfield track on January 30.
The notable Blue Diamond Stakes betting market mover backed in from $13 to $5.50 after coming up with a gun barrier three draw is the Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zhara-trained General Beau.
The in-form Brazen Beau colt took out the Blue Diamond Preview – Prelude double in the lead-up to Saturday and now looks to complete the treble.
He will be ridden by the season’s best jockey Jamie Kah who celebrated her fourth Group 1 win last weekend aboard Australian Horse of the Year Nature Strip in the Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington.
Two of the other juveniles are also under double-figures for the win with the wildly-drawn Godolphin-raced Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) runner-up Anamoe ($7.50) in gate 15 and the fellow James Cummings-trained Ingratiating ($9).
The ‘Wizard of the West’ jockey William Pike partners consistent Frosted colt Ingratiating who ran second to Enthaar in the Chairman’s Stakes before backing-up to salute in last Saturday’s Listed Talindert Stakes (1100m) at Flemington.
The third two-year-old representing Godolphin in this year’s Blue Diamond field is Arcaded ($15), a talented Street Boss filly looking for her third win from as many starts.
She only debuted on January 13 at Caulfield and looked impressive taking out a handicap with 58kg by over three lengths before her two and a half length success in the Group 2 Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude on February 6.
Click here for the latest Blue Diamond Stakes 2021 betting odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
