Lindsay Park filly Claudia Jean has been scratched from the Group 1 $1m Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield today.
Claudia Jean had to be scratched from the Blue Diamond Stakes because of lameness in the near side front hoof. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.
Co-Trainer David Hayes notified Racing Victoria Stewards on Friday that Claudia Jean was showing signs of mild lameness in the near side front hoof and the filly failed to response to overnight treatment and was withdrawn from the premier two year old race this morning.
The Blue Diamond Stakes field has been reduced to fourteen runners and the scratching of the Not A Single Doubt filly has left the David Hayes – Tom Dabernig training partnership with two runners in the field, Air Apparent ($19) and Reemah ($101).
Claudia Jean’s was a $31 chance when she came out and her scratching will have no major effect on the Blue Diamond Stakes market order.
The Robert Smerdon trained Fontiton remains the short priced favourite at $2.25 with Ladbrokes.com.au, firming in from $2.40 overnight while Sydney colt Pride Of Dubai has eased slightly to be $6 this morning.
Next in the market order are Damien’s Oliver mount Stoker and the Team Hawkes trained Lake Geneva both at $11 ahead of the Colts and Geldings Blue Diamond Prelude winner Of The Brave at $13.
The Peter Moody trained Flamberge was withdrawn from the Group 1 $400,000 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) on Friday after the top Caulfield trained detected mucus in his throat while being scoped.
Eloping was also an early scratching from the Oakleigh Plate after co-trainers Peter Morgan and Craig Widdison decided to run the filly in the Group 3 $150,000 Typhoon Tracy Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley last night.
Eloping finished in seventh spot behind the 100-1 chance Written Dash.
The Robert Smerdon trained Politeness was a race day scratching from the Group 3 $150,000 Premier Sign Stakes (1400m) while the last race on the program, the Listed $120,000 Mornington Cup Prelude (2000m), has suffered the most with the field being reduced to eleven runners following the scratchings of Gotta Take Care, Escado, Phantom Brew, Inishowen and Subiaso.
The Caulfield track has been rated a Good 4 with the rail out six metres and Melbourne is in for a mostly fine day with a maximum temperature of 31 degrees.
