The scratching of early favourite Avoid Lightning has forced a major reshuffle in the market order for the Group 3 $200,000 Coolmore Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) at Scone today.
Avoid Lightning is scratched from the Dark Jewel Classic. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Avoid Lightning was the $4.20 favourite when she was scratched on Friday afternoon when it was clear that the track today was to remain a Good 3 after being upgraded from a Dead 4 early in the day at yesterday’s Scone Cup meeting.
Avoid Lightning’s jockey Tim Clark explained that the Blevic mare’s best form is on softer tracks and connections are happy to wait for the right conditions for her.
“She is going really good. Her best form is on tracks that are a genuine dead, she wasn’t going to get that today, she will wait for another day,” Clark told Racing HQ Saturday.
With her withdrawal the Gai Waterhouse trained Miss Stellabelle was promoted to the top spot with Ladbrokes.com.au at $4.60 in from her $6 mark yesterday.
The David Payne trained Lilliburlero has been the big shortener with her price halving from $10 to $5 while topweight Aerobatics is now marked at $5.50.
Two Blue from the Kristen Buchanan stable and the John O’Shea trained Seaside share the next line of betting at $6.50 with Chatham House at $10 and Myamira at $11.
Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan is confident that Two Blue’s versatility will go a long way to seeing her score back to back wins today.
Two Blue scored first up over 1200m in a BenchMark 85 at Randwick on April 26 and Buchanan said that the mare can settle forward if there is no pace or she can sit out the back if the pace is on and will leave the riding tactics up to Glyn Schofield.
“The good thing about this mare is that if there is not too much speed on she can go forward, she can take a sit now so really it depends on the tempo in running,” Buchanan said.
“She can run incredible sectionals. She has a fair bit of versatility. I will leave it in his hands. I’m sure Glyn will have her where she is comfortable.”
Topweight Aerobatics, with Christen Reith to ride again, is also lining up for back to back wins after taking out the Group 3 $150,000 The 2014 Darley Crown (1300m) at Hawkesbury on May 3.
