2015 Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Fontiton impressed trainer Robert Smerdon with her final piece of work ahead of the Group 1 event at Caulfield on Saturday.
Fontiton impressed Robert Smerdon with his final piece of serious trackwork ahead of the 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes. Photo by: Adrienne Bicknell
Fontiton stamped herself as the clear favourite for the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1100m) when he finished over the top of her rivals in the Group 2 Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield on February 14 and Smerdon told Racing Ahead that the two-year-old had not done a great deal of work following the impressive effort.
Smerdon revealed that Fontiton worked alongside stablemate and fellow Blue Diamond Stakes runner Thurlow in trackwork at Caulfield this morning and Smerdon said that the Turffontein filly will not do any more serious work heading into the 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes this weekend.
“She did a bit of work on the course proper this morning,” Smerdon said.
“She was pretty fit going into the Prelude, so we have just been maintaining her.
“She and Thurlow worked together in pace work from the 800 and strode up the straight in a bit under 23 on the bridle together.
“I was pretty happy and Mark Zahra rode her and he was pretty happy with her.
“She has done all she needs to do now and we just need to tick over heading into Saturday.”
Smerdon indicated this morning that he was hopeful Fontiton would draw towards the inside in the 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes barrier draw and he granted his wish when the two-year-old was allocated barrier one at Caulfield this morning.
Everything has gone to plan for Fontiton heading into the Blue Diamond Stakes and like past five winners (Earthquake, Miracles Of Life, Samaready, Sepoy and Star Witness) she will the heading into the race undefeated, but Smerdon said that he is still not getting ahead of himself and knows that the juvenile has to come out and get the job done this weekend.
“I am probably always a bit conservative and I always see the pitfalls and the dangers,” Smerdon said.
“I never get overconfident and it is just an anxious time I guess.”
Smerdon is chasing his second win in the Blue Diamond Stakes after he took out the 1985 edition of the race with Let’s Get Physical and missed the placings with Members Joy (9th behind Samaready in 2012), Marveen (12th behind Reaan in 2008) and Irises (fourth behind Canonise in 1991).
