Fontiton On Top Of Blue Diamond Stakes Betting

Fontiton is currently available at 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes odds of $2.40 and is a clear favourite in betting markets for the Group 1 event at Caulfield on Saturday.

Fontiton is a clear favourite in 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes betting markets. Photo by: Adrienne Bicknell

Fontiton is a clear favourite in 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes betting markets. Photo by: Adrienne Bicknell

Fontiton opened at a quote of $2.45 in Blue Diamond Stakes betting markets and briefly drifted out to $2.50, but was quickly backed into $2.40 and is set to start the $1 million event as a clear favourite.

The Turffontein filly tightened her stranglehold on Blue Diamond Stakes favouritism when she worked home over the top of her rivals in the Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield on February 14 and trainer Robert Smerdon told RSN this morning that he has just been ticking the two-year-old over ahead of the 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes this weekend.

“I think that she went into the race in pretty good shape fitness wise,” Smerdon said.

“It was well known that she was underdone first-up, but with the benefit of that run and her subsequent trial she went in pretty well.

“She would have run 1200 metres on that day, so we have just tried to keep her where she was.

“She actually had a pretty hard run and it was more a matter of getting her over that run and making sure they maintain where they are.”

Pride Of Dubai stamped himself as a Blue Diamond Stakes contender when he flew home late to finish second in the Blue Diamond Prelude For Colts And Geldings at Caulfield on February 14 and he is currently on the second line of betting at a quote of $5.50.

Connections of Pride Of Dubai were forced to pay the late entry fee of $55,000 to get him into the 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes field and punters believe that the two-year-old is every chance to record his maiden race win in the Blue Diamond Stakes.

Of The Brave opened at Blue Diamond Stakes odds of $9, but he has been on the drift in the last couple of days after there was plenty of drama surrounding who would actually be his trainer this weekend.

The son of Starspangledbanner has done nothing wrong in his two race starts, but his time when he won the Blue Diamond Prelude was significantly slower than that of Fontiton in the fillies division.

Sampeah has remained steady at a Blue Diamond Stakes odds of $10 after his credible third in the Blue Diamond Prelude and is rated Godolphin’s best chance of winning the race for the second year in a row.

There has been a sprinkling of support in the Blue Diamond Stakes betting market at Ladbrokes for Stoker ($15 into $13), Thurlow ($26 into $21) and Air Apparent ($26 into $21), while Bantam ($67 out to $101), Flamboyant Lass ($17 out to $18), Miss Gidget ($21 out to $31) and Claudia Jean ($26 out to $31) have all been on the drift.

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.