Favourites drift in betting after drawing poorly in Blue Diamond
THE all-important Blue Diamond barrier draw took place at Caulfield on Tuesday afternoon and the betting market has seen a significant change for the $1.5 million group 1 this Saturday.
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All the talk has been about two Mick Price-trained runners, Extreme Choice and Flying Artie, but punters who took the shorts on both runners wouldn’t have been happy with the barriers they were dealt.
Before the barrier draw Extreme Choice was the $2.75 favourite, but after receiving barrier 13 bookmakers have adjusted its price to $2.90 at CrownBet.com.au. The unbeaten colt has been ridden forward in both career outings and many punters believe it will be a tough ask from a wide barrier.
The son of Not A Single Doubt has pinged the gates on both occasions, however, so it should be able to find the lead and seeing out the distance should be punters only worry. It did drift out to $3 in the betting, but punters rallied and took the best price that has been offered.
Stablemate Flying Artie was a $3.50 chance earlier this week and its price has drifted significantly since the barrier draw. The Artie Schiller colt’s chances of winning took a hit after drawing barrier 17 and its new odds reflect that.
It now stands as the $4.20 second-favourite, but we don’t believe the barrier draw has changed its tactics. Unless it drew the inside barrier Flying Artie was likely to head back like so many other Blue Diamond winners have done and storm home over the top of them. We expect Damien Oliver to pull Flying Artie to the tail and of the field and rely on luck and natural talent to get it over the line.
Blue Diamond Prelude winner Samara Dancer has firmed in after drawing barrier five. The Phillip Stokes-trained filly is now on the fourth line of betting at $6.50 and its odds will likely drop as the race draws nearer. It was a quality winner on February 13 and it will get an economical run from the perfect barrier.
Also well-favoured is Concealer which ran on well behind Samara Dancer last start and many believed that with a better run it would have won that race. There are little concerns that the Tony McEvoy-trained filly won’t get a nice run, especially from barrier six, and it has subsequently come for support at $6.
There hasn’t been any positive action for the outsiders of the field. Star Turn has come into $13 after being at $15 earlier this week, but the likes of Zamzam ($21 out to $34) and Valliano ($26 out to $34) have both drifted despite receiving good barrier draws.
2016 Blue Diamond updated market and barrier draw
1. Extreme Choice (13) – $2.90 with Crownbet
2. Valliano (8) – $34
3. Flying Artie (17) – $4.20
4. Star Turn (10) – $13
5. Power Trip (9) – $51
6. Highland Beat (12) – $101
7. Hell Of An Effort (1) – $51
8. Hey Doc (4) – $67
9. China Dream (14) – $51
10. Samara Dancer (5) – $6.50
11. Concealer (6) – $6.00
12. Sweet Sherry (16) – $67
13. Kinetic Design (19) – $201
14. Zamzam (7) – $34
15. Miss Nymeria (3) – $17
16. Areti (15) – $81
17. Selenia (18) – $67
18. Seaburge (2) – $67
19. Revolving Door (11) – $67
Check in later this week for our full Blue Diamond Stakes day preview.